Coming Home
by MissMary
Summary: Zelda brought Link home to Hyrule and the Kings agrees to help find his family if he will stay and finds them! But what does Link do when a new threat rises and they refuse to let him go...
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own The Legend of Zelda games. Link, Zelda, Impa, the Sages, Malon, and other characters from the games are owned by Nintendo. **

**I have published this story once, and removed it for revision, to make it easier to read. This story has one following it, Link's Last Task, and a sister story from Zelda's point of view, The Return of the Hero. **

**COMING HOME**

"Link?"

I sighed. If I had heard that soft voice once in this trip, I had heard it a hundred times. The Princess was trying so hard not to be afraid, and she managed most of the time, but every time I tried to leave, she got that scared sound in her voice. I knew the ordeal she had been through. When I faced a monster, I had a sword, a shield, or other weapons, and magic, and I was scared spitless. To face that kind of horror with no defense..."Yes, Your Highness?" It was still slightly dark, right before the sun rose.

"It's just one more day. Just to the castle. You'll come that far, won't you?" I turned to look at her. She was standing in her tent opening, and giving me that appealing look. I could barely see it in the dawning light. Why I call it a tent, I don't know. Somehow it was too fancy for that, being as big as most barns I've seen, and housing not only her, but her guardian Impa and half the soldiers in her escort. It also included me, though I generally managed to sneak out and sleep somewhere else. There were just too many people in there! She was pretty, I guess, as girls go. She had porcelain white skin, big blue eyes, and a well-shaped face and body, and she wore nice clothes. I looked her exact opposite, a boy in my Kokeri outfit of green tunic, pointed hat and leather pants, and sturdy boots. I have yellowish hair that I hid under my hat because it's always messy, and blue eyes. I'm tanned, from being outside most of the time, and I'm small but I have muscles where most boys my age don't. I've been fighting since I was twelve, and worked with the child-like Kokeri before that. The Princess Zelda and I were the same height and it seemed we were about the same age. She had twenty men in her escort, and Impa, her guardian, but I was the one who rescued her from Ganon.

"As you wish, Your Highness. " I have to say in her favor, she has a pretty voice. I don't. When I speak, my voice grates. I speak as little as possible, to the point that some people believed I was mute and ask me only yes or no questions so I can nod or shake my head. I prefer that, because when people think you're mute or if you don't talk much, they tend to think you're not real bright. They talk to you the way they would talk to a pet or something that can't talk back or argue. It's great for getting information. It's also great for being underestimated. Both have been useful in my adventures. However, it didn't help me on this trip. The Princess's escort treated me well, but they were also eyeing me in a way that made me nervous, and Impa definitely had something in mind when she looked at me. If I had known what, I would have tried harder to stay out of the Princess's sight. There were some incidents on the trip where they saw me fight, and they heard the stories in Labrynna. Impa and the Princess Zelda have insisted that I ride with them in the carriage, after that last Goddesses- thrice -damned outlaw attack, and I'd been so bored I'd been telling the Princess stories of the dark time. I told them in the third person, but the Princess is not the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom for nothing, and she and Impa finally asked questions until it was pretty clear who the Hero was that I was talking about. I tried to get her back by telling her who the mysterious Sheik was. She thought it was great. Impa didn't, but they both wanted to hear the end of the stories. Then around the campfire one night, while I was avoiding the Princess and Impa, the Sergeant asked if I knew the one about the Hero who stopped the moon falling on the clock tower in Termina. I told about that, and that was when they really started to act funny and started watching me. In fact, I was outside when the Princess showed up in the tent opening, out of sight of the night guard, and getting ready to slip off. The outside guard thought I was inside, and the inside guard thought I was outside. I was only obligated to stay until the Princess was in Hyrule. By this time, the rest of the camp was waking up, and my opportunity was gone. I resigned myself to finding a way to slip off unnoticed before we got to Hyrule Castle.

Let me clarify a few things here. Until I was twelve, I lived in the Kokeri Village in the Lost Woods. The Kokeri are the children of the Great Deku Tree, who never grow up and who have fairies who guide their lives. I was the only one without a fairy. When I turned twelve, a fairy, Navi, came to me and summoned me to the Great Deku Tree and my destiny. That was the beginning of the dark times. The Princess and I had to stop and banish the evil Ganandorf, who killed Zelda's father and got into the Sacred Realm, turning Hyrule into a place of dark and despair. We opened the Temple of Time with the Ocarina of Time and the three stones of Forest, Fire, and Water to stop him, and he turned it on us. I was held in stasis for seven years until I was large enough to handle the Master Sword and fight for Hyrule. The Princess wasn't that lucky. She had to hide for seven years until I was released. She did so by disguising herself as Sheik, a boy of a lost race. When Ganandorf got into the Sacred Realm, he wanted the Triforce so that he could rule the world, not just Hyrule, but the Triforce split into three pieces, one for power, one for courage, and one for wisdom. He got the one for power. I got the one for courage. Zelda got the one for wisdom. She and some others guided me as I released the Sages and all together, we banished him. Then Zelda took the Ocarina of Time and banished those years. Ganandorf was still banished, and I retained my memories and the Ocarina. Zelda and I retained our pieces of the Triforce. The Great Deku Tree and Saria, my Kokeri friend and now the Sage of Forest, remembered. No one else did, in Hyrule. The other kingdoms knew. They started the Hero of Time stories, which were, thank the goddess, wildly wrong. These were expanded when I went to Termina and stopped the moon from falling on them, in three days that repeated over and over with the help of the Ocarina. I managed to get home after that, but got summoned to the Temple of Time and was sent somehow to Holodrum to rescue the Oracle of Seasons, after which I had to go to Labrynna to rescue the Oracle of Ages and the Princess Zelda.

Up to this time, I would finish the adventure and go on. For a time I tried to find out who my parents were, but the Great Deku Tree had very little to go on, as my mother died shortly after her arrival in the Lost Woods, and all I had was an empty locket from her. Several families wanted to take me in after I helped them, and I was tempted, but most were not in Hyrule, and Hyrule was home. The closest one I was willing to stay in touch with was Talon and Malon Lon at Lon Lon ranch, because Talon was both too easy-going and too lazy to try to keep me permanently, and a large ranch can always use some extra help. He had offered to make some kind of adoptive arrangement, but he didn't push it too hard. I had rescued the ranch from an ambitious manager named Ingo, but that happened in the dark time and they didn't remember. They did remember that I found Talon for Malon before that happened, and they were kindly disposed. Especially when I bought Epona, the horse that only Malon and I can handle. I leave her there most of the time. They house her in return for my agreeing that they can breed her and keep the results. Between adventures, I went there a lot. Malon was a good cook. She got married to a blacksmith right before I left for Holodrum, but the blacksmith was used to me by now. Anyway, no one could hold me. All I had to do was leave. All I had to do now was leave, but this was the first time a large group of adults was keeping an eye on me. Something about a boy my age on my own bothered Impa. Having to explain what happened to the Princess bothered the soldiers, plus the fact that I was too young to be on my own. By this time I was certain they would stop me from leaving. I might be the Hero of Time, but my magic is drained after each adventure, and while I was able to fight monsters, vicious outlaws, and dark magicians, I was not willing to fight good soldiers doing their jobs. Besides, I'd have a hard time with these seasoned soldiers. I might be strong for my age, but I'm still fifteen. If that- fifteen was a guess. Neither the Kokeri nor the Great Deku Tree was big on counting years. So I helped with the camp chores, as usual, and got my gear together. I insisted on having it with me all the time. After all, with the special pouch I have, that's keyed to me and only to me, and that holds a lot in a small space, I can carry almost all I own without much trouble. I have a deposit of rupees with a banker in Termina, and both Saria and Malon keep some stuff for me, but most of what I need I carry.

I figured it would take most of the day to get to Hyrule Castle and we would stop on the way, as we usually did. I tried to get out of riding in the carriage, as usual, but this time it was Impa who was firm about my coming with them. I didn't want to talk. I was too busy watching where we were. Pretty much all of Hyrule is familiar to me, and this road was no exception. I kept thinking where the next stop might be. I didn't think that everyone was just as ready to be home as I was. We went faster than usual, and we did not stop. I was thinking of all the curses (most of which I understood only vaguely) I knew as we got into the town. Then we were in front of Hyrule Castle, and I remembered how I slipped past the guards to see the Princess when I was smaller. As soon as the carriage stopped, the Princess jumped out and ran for her father. Impa was right behind her, trying to make her be dignified, and I got out and started back while everyone was watching. I swear I was past the guards and almost into the crowd when the Sergeant turned to see where the Princess was pointing and the soldiers suddenly surrounded me . I've never had so many eyes on me at once. I stood up straight and tried to look adult, wishing I could sink into the ground and disappear. A big man dressed like the soldiers but better, came up and in a kind voice told me to come with him. I went, hoping my knees would hold up, until we were close enough that the King could see me. He looked at me, then at Zelda, and said we all needed to rest and he would see both of us tonight.

"Come along, lad," the big soldier said, putting his arm against my back and leading me into a part of the Castle. He called up the escort as well. I heard them call him Captain. When we got into the Castle, he took a good look at me, noting my age, my clothes, and the way the escort was quietly making sure I couldn't get near the doorway out without going through one of them. He told the Sergeant to get me something to eat and bring it to his office, and he walked me there after telling the others to get to the mess and be ready for debriefing. He told me to take off my weapons, as only the King and the castle guards carried weapons in the Castle, and at the look on my face, promised that they would be set aside for me. He did let me keep my pouch, thinking that it was too small to hold a weapon. He sat me down in a little room with high windows, a desk with more paper on it than I'd ever seen in my life, and some other furniture. When he noticed I was squirming, he showed me his indoor privy. He got my name and that I was an orphan and did not live with a particular adult before the Sergeant appeared with a full plate. The Captain put me in a corner and left to talk with the Sergeant while I ate. He left a soldier by the door. They came back while I was chewing on the last piece of bread. Then he talked to me. I answered his questions. He wanted a lot of detail. At some point a soldier showed up with a stout lady carrying clothes, and he sent me with them. They let me bathe myself with the soldier in the room, but the water was warm and there was soap, which I like but rarely have. They tried to take away my clothes, and I only let go when they told me they would be washed and returned. The clothes the lady carried were for me, because I had an audience with the king and I had to look better than I did now. They were a soft blue cloth that would be useless to fight or work in, and there was no hat. Then they insisted on cutting my hair, which I normally keep in my hat to keep it out of the way. When they finished they were smiling. They said I looked like a handsome young man, and when the soldier took me back to the Captain, he said the same thing. Then I was embarrassed, because the Captain asked where I got all those scars. I didn't want to tell him because I knew by now that no one wants to believe the Hero of Time is a teen-aged boy, not even if the boy in question had a lot of help. He asked questions until he got at least some of the answers, and I could tell he had been talking to his men. He wanted to know how I learned some of my fighting techniques. They must have told him about the outlaw attack, as the soldiers had not been around when I fought Ganon for the princess.

The Captain was not quite sure what to think about the young man--this was no boy-- sitting in front of him, looking extremely uncomfortable in his new clothes. Link was well muscled, with rough hands and a way of moving that spoke of a fighter. He was also handsome, with clear blue eyes and the wavy blonde hair. In fact, except for approving his good looks, most eyes would pass over him in a crowd. But this was no normal young man, according to his soldiers. They reported that the Princess and Impa both said that he single-handedly defeated a dark magician and that the word in Labrynna was that he was the Hero of Time from Hyrule who rescued their Oracle and their Queen. The word also went that he had rescued the Oracle of Seasons from Holodrum. In Labrynna, there was speculation that he had been the Termina Hero as well. The Sergeant's report said that when they asked the boy about the stories, he knew realistic details that the stories did not have. He also said that getting a full tale out of the boy was like pulling teeth from an uncooperative dragon. They had heard the Hero of Time stories from Labrynna as well, but those were not believable. The soldiers told of the outlaw attack, how the outlaws had some kind of large crow helping them and the boy had gotten them down with a flying stick, and that he had good aim with a bow as well. When the birds were gone, he had helped fight the outlaws on the ground, and he could fight like a demon. Once four of the outlaws surrounded him, and they thought he was a goner; then he was standing and the outlaws were down. They told how they had had to set up the tent that night and the boy had to coax the princess out of the carriage, and how he had been very gentle and spoke to her quietly until she was in the tent and Impa had her. When he turned and saw them watching, he turned bright red and bolted. For a while they thought he had left them, but he did come back with damp hair, and said he wanted some privacy to bathe . He was good about helping with the camp chores and could hunt and gather with the best. He would sit and listen to their war stories, but seldom spoke unless they asked questions, and then he would leave if he could. He did tell them he was an orphan, and that he lived in the Lost Woods. After the incident with the outlaws, they started making sure someone kept an eye on him, as they knew that an explanation was needed and he was the one to give it, but he would not want to. Neither did they; they wanted him around to give the full story.

"Wild," they said. "He's been on his own a long time." They were agreed that the boy needed to be put somewhere and trained. "He's a bright kid," they agreed. "You can see it. Knows his way around the woods, knows how to take care of himself." But he had gaps in his worldly knowledge. "He wasn't sure what an uncle or grandparent was," they said. "It was as if he'd never lived in a town or village for any length of time."

The Captain agreed with a lot of what his men said, especially about getting Link to talk. He did not agree about Link never living in a village, but wondered if he had lived mostly in an orphanage of some kind. He could cooperate with people, but was wary, as if he were unused to or afraid of adults. The Captain could understand his men's fears that Link would slip away given half a chance. The answers to the questions were often fantastic, and Link was aware of that. According to Willie, who was detailed to help clean the boy up, he had a multitude of scars on his back, chest, sides and arms, all cleanly healed and white, and he did not want to talk about how he got them.

_Link speaks_

I went with the Captain to the room where the audience was to be held. I had no idea what to do, and waited at the door when we arrived and the captain announced that we were there. The Princess, who looked twice as well dressed as she had when we were traveling, got up and walked over to me. She took my hand and led me to her father. When we were close enough, she took my right hand and held it up by her own, so that the Triforce marks were showing. The King took in a deep breath when he saw that. She whispered to me to bow, which I did as well as I knew how, and sat back down by him. The King looked past me and I felt magic wrap over me. Then he started asking questions about the Princess's rescue. I talked, and talked, and talked, as both he and the Captain asked question after question, or, after an answer, would say, "And?" After what felt like the entire night, he sent for a chair and a drink. They wanted to know everything, from the dark times in Hyrule to the forever three days in Termina to the events in Labrynna and Holodrum. At one point, when my voice started to fail, they questioned the Princess instead, while the Captain put a drink in my hand that must have been mostly honey. Then they came back to me, and kept me going until my voice failed me totally. The tingle came back twice. Finally the king said," Well, young Link, you have given me a great deal to think about. I owe you an apology and my deepest thanks. How shall I express them?" I was still under the spell and I tried to answer, but I could only coughJust then that was the only reward I wanted was to get out of there, go home, and never, ever go near the castle or the royal family again. I felt like he had sucked me dry of words and drained me of energy. "Think on it," he said, when I stopped coughing. He told the Captain to be sure I had what I needed, and the Captain took me out.

We were in the hall when the Princess called out. She came up and said quickly, "Link, please don't leave tonight. Not until everything is settled. Please." I looked at her in the dim light, not wanting to make the promise and knowing that I had no choice at all, and nodded. She turned and walked away with her normal grace.The Captain cleared his throat and said with some swiftness that I would be glad to see my bed, and he got me to it. To their credit, the room was a good size, and had a door and window, both to the garden. I could see my belongings, except my weapons, on a table near the bed. There was a long white shirt on it, which the captain told me was a nightshirt for sleeping in. There was a drink on the table as well, for my sore throat. I drank it, changed into the nightshirt, and lay down, thinking I would not sleep at all, when I heard the Captain say to sleep well and dreamlessly all night, and see him in the morning. That damn spell must have still been working, because I closed my eyes and did not open them again until the sun was shining in the window. There was a knock on the door and I answered it, to find a soldier outside with another set of clothes. I decided that the Captain did not like my Kokeri clothes, and dressed. These at least were better for working in. I discovered the reason when I followed the soldier to the Captain's office. Breakfast was waiting for both of us, and when we finished, he showed me where my sword and shield was and took me to the training grounds. There he passed me to an instructor. I got a testing as extensive as any I got in a temple, without the threat. At first all I did was defend myself. After a time, the instructor called a halt and told me, with some extensive profanity, to hit him. "Give me a bruise, boy," he roared. I wasn't impressed. He was tough, but I did manage to give a bruise, or two, or three. He didn't get me. After a time, the Captain called him off and the Sergeant took me to the archery field, where he let me choose a bow. I always hit the target, but not always in the black part. He started asking about other weapons I had seen or fought with when we came inside. There was more food there, and I nibbled on it.

The Captain reported to the King and the Princess that young Link was tested for sword fighting and archery and that he was impressed. "He hit Fredrick three times," he said, "and Fredrick didn't get him once. He hit every target in the range, and most of them in the black. He's all right as long as he's outside, but inside he's constantly alert. He doesn't like attention. I think he's staying only because the Princess asked, and because," here he smiled, "I'm keeping food around. Boys his age are always hungry." The King nodded and dismissed him, then turned to his daughter. "The Princess's request?"

She explained how Link frequently tried to leave the party and stayed on her request. "I was afraid unless he was around," she admitted sheepishly. "He beat that magician in front of me, and until I was home, I kept thinking it would come back." She shrugged. "If I hadn't asked, he would try to leave as soon as he got an opportunity."

The king sighed. "I have to agree. I'm wondering what kind of arrangements to make."

"He just wants to go home, Father. He hasn't asked for anything, and I don't think he will." She looked at him clear-eyed. He hated to break the truth to her, but he had to make her see.

"My dear, we cannot allow Link to run wild in the woods now that he is the Hero of Time without dispute. He could not have lied; Russo renewed that spell twice and checked it again this morning. Having rendered such a service to Hyrule, he must be visibly rewarded. We have three other countries watching us, to whom he has also rendered service, and they will wonder why we have done nothing. Also, when the word gets out that the Hero of Time of the legends has surfaced, our own people will be looking as well. I would grant him lands and set up a wardship, but I just cannot think of anyone who could deal adequately with him."

"Land doesn't mean a thing to Link, Father," she told him. "And if you tell him he has to live with someone he's never heard of, he'll go, and the first chance he gets, he'll be gone, and he'll take care that we never see him again. I don't think that will help your political situation much."

"No," he admitted, his eyes twinkling at his bright daughter's words.

"We need to find something he wants. Let me talk to him."

"My dear, you do know you cannot have romantic notions about..."

She laughed. "Link is still a boy that way. He stayed with me because I was scared and he understood why. Now he's scared, and I need to help him. I'm the Princess. I hold a piece of the Triforce, as he does. It's nothing more than that. "She smiled. "I get to rescue him, for a change. I like that."

Her father smiled, amused. "Find out what he wants, then, besides to go home."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

_Link speaks_

The Captain sent me on a tour of the Castle with Willie, one of the soldiers I knew from the trip home. Willie was impressed with my morning test. The instructor was known as an expert fighter. As usual, my silence caused him to chatter, and I learned a great deal, some of it useless but some of it enlightening. The clothes I was getting outfit by outfit had belonged to a knight's son who died of a wound gone badly. The room I had been given was below the Princess's on her request, as she wanted to be sure I was well treated. Then he asked if I were really the Hero of Time. I said I didn't think I looked like the hero in the stories. He grinned. "How old were you when you started your first adventure?"

"Twelve," I said without thinking.

"Twelve?"

I cursed mentally, annoyed that I responded at all. "Yes."

"Were you scared?"

I wondered how old he was now. "I was terrified. I'd never left home before. Where are we?"

That got him talking about the Castle again, and before he remembered to ask another question, a maid came up and told him the Captain wanted me. She gave me a curious look and watched us out of sight. I led the way back, having automatically mapped the area in my head as we went. Willie was panting by the time we got there.

"It took me two weeks to learn my way around," he gasped.

"You're a good guide," I told him, and to my relief saw the Captain in his office. I left Willie grinning at the compliment. The Captain told me to go to my room to wash and change clothes. At my expression, he laughed and said that it was the Princess, not the King, and asked if my throat was still sore. At my negative, he sent me on. I found the stout lady, Gwen, carrying water into the room. She pointed out my midday meal, which included some small round pebble-like things.

"Those are for your throat," she explained. "Here's your water for washing, and mind you wash well. We put the rest of the clothes in the wardrobe here." She showed me how the wooden doors opened. "There's just enough to get you through a week." I couldn't believe her. It looked like enough to get me through a year, if I never did any work in the softer ones. Fortunately there were several like the one I was wearing. "Now you should wear one of these." She showed me the more practical ones. The softer ones were for Court or eveningwear to see the King or Princess. I chose the black one. It fit my mood. She also showed me where the closest "water closet" was. She seemed surprised when I thanked her. I was ready by the time the Captain appeared. He approved the clothes and my state of cleanliness. He looked over the by now empty tray, and smiled. I didn't tell him that the sweets resided now in my pouch. I'm not fond of honey even when my throat hurts.

The princess was waiting in the garden. On the way, I remembered when I came to speak with her, how she was looking in a window where her father was going to see Ganandorf. Then I flashed on the rainy night not long after when Impa was taking her away and she tossed the Ocarina in the moat, knowing I would find it, and the first sight I had of Ganandorf, including the first time he knocked me down. The sight of her, between the frightened twelve-year-old and the composed nineteen year old I knew later, brought me back to the present. The Captain told me to bow, which I did, still feeling silly, and she waved me over. "Is your throat better?" she asked, blinking at the bright sunlight.

"Much," I said, and then blurted out, "Can I go home now?"

She sighed, and my heart landed in my boots, the one piece of clothes they let me keep. Before she could comment the Captain said, "Lad, you cannot speak to the Princess like that..."

He retreated at the look the Princess gave him, not even seeing Link's puzzled one, "...can he?" he finished to Impa, who was hiding a smile. The two children talked urgently while they watched. He could see the look of appeal on Link's face, and how seriously she replied. A breeze blew her hair into her face, and she brushed it aside impatiently. Then she stood and they walked about for a time, still talking.

"After rescuing her from a dark magician, protecting her from outlaws, and telling her stories through days of carriage rides so she wouldn't be afraid?" Impa asked. "Not to mention playing the ocarina for hours at a time. In their mind, she owes him. And he wants her to get him out of here. "

"Will she?" His hopes for training the boy dropped.

"No. The king explained the situation to her, and she understands that we can't just let him go, but the traditional method won't work either. That young man would just wait his chance and off he would go, and we'd never see him again. Most landed orphans need care. He doesn't. He needs guidance, and at his age it has to come from someone he respects. "

"Hmm." Hope rose again. "He's a good fighter, but he could learn more. New weapons. New methods. Can he read?"

"Yes, at least a little. I saw him reading street signs and puzzling out a proclamation. I don't know if he writes. Zelda spoke to me about bait that might keep him hooked a while. Orphans always want to know who their parents are. Of course we can't make promises, but there's no reason an investigator can't look into the matter. The word's gotten out already, have you noticed? Pretty soon we'll have the ambassadors from Termina, Holodrum, and Labrynna sounding us out on if Link's the Hero of Time, and so how they can deal with the debt they owe him, before he demands something more expensive than they want to handle."

"I see. In that case, he'll need some manners training."

"Not Lady Spoilt. That old dragon would have him running in a day, if he didn't kill her when she used that fan on him." They both shuddered.

"No. I was thinking of Sir Wills, the librarian. He's kind, he knows his history and his manners, and I think Link would do well with him. If we could make the wardship through Princess Zelda, we could keep him here, and transfer it later if need be." He nodded to himself and looked over at the teenagers. Link was listening intently to something the Princess said, and nodding. "I'll recommend that plan to His Majesty and see if he'll approve."

_Link speaks_

The Princess explained that there had to be some kind of reward for me and I needed to stay until it was arranged. I told her I didn't need a reward. I looked into the laws on orphans once, when Kakoriko Village adults looked like they might try to get the authorities involved, and I know that no one outside a family member can force an orphan to stay with them unless they file with the courts to be responsible and the child agrees. This was done after the war to stop farmers from grabbing older children to work on the farms for free. Not even the King could force me to stay at my age, by the law. In real life, of course, there wasn't anyone who would argue with him. Even if I managed to slip off, he could get angry enough to look for me. The Lost Woods are home, and I was willing to bet that no soldier was going to set foot in them, but I didn't want to be stuck there for months until they gave up. From what the Princess was trying to explain, there was some kind of obligation involved, not only for him, but for all the other countries, too. Before, they could ignore the situation because they didn't know who the Hero of Time was. Now that they knew, they had to pay the debt. To not do anything would make them look bad to their people, and to wait until I asked, or in this case, the king asked for me, might mean they would be asked to do something they did not want to do. Now that I was proven to be not only the Hero, but Hylian, and present at the king's court, they would come to him. For that to happen, I had to be available. My head started to ache. I could feel my life changing. She could see how I felt, I guess. "Is there anyone who can act for you, Link?" I explained that up to now, the only guardian I had was the Great Deku Tree, and a Hylian could not get to him. I was the only Hylian who could enter the Lost Woods and come out with my memory intact. Anyone else would be lucky if that was all he lost. "Would you like to know who your parents were?" That got my attention. I did want to know. She explained that while they could not make promises, there were investigators who could at least look into the situation. I would need to be available to assist them. She would also look into an income for me. I agreed to that; money is always useful, and it always runs out. Then she asked me to play the ocarina for her. I took it out and started with the Song of Healing. After a time, Impa had to interrupt to take the Princess to an appointment, and we both noticed that a lot of people had appeared in the garden. She told me to find the Captain's office, and I slipped away. It took me a little while, but I found it. Unfortunately, Willie and some of his friends found me too, and they had a pile of questions, Willie having figured out by now that was the best way to get information from me.

"Were you really scared when you started?" he asked. I nodded. "Where were you living?" In the Lost Woods, I told him. "Why were you living in the Lost Woods?" I gave up and told how my mother was caught in a battle in the nearly village and ran into the woods with me after being wounded, and she had no choice but to ask the Great Deku Tree to take care of me because she was dying. They were quiet for a time, and I was trying to find something to ask them, when Willie wanted to know about the fairy children. I told him that the Kokeri looked like children but they were not, and each of them had a fairy. They took care of the forest. I warned them, not that they needed it, never to go in there. It was crawling with Wolfos, and I knew that they accounted for most of the deaths, not the Kokeri. "Did you have a fairy?" No, I had not, until the actual adventure, when I needed her help. I remembered how I was tormented about that by some of the other children, and they got quiet again. Somehow what may have looked like a romantic and exciting adventure was looking less dramatic and grimier. I was glad. Maybe they would stop pestering me. "You mean, you didn't have any adults around?" No, I said, we had to do all the work ourselves. They got quiet again. Then I asked them about their families. Willie talked about his father and his brothers and sisters. Most of them had at least one parent and brother or sister. One had a brother who was a lot older who had raised him. One had a grandfather and another, an uncle. They realized I wasn't sure what grandparents or uncles were, and they explained relatives. The problem was, they tried to talk all at once. I managed to understand what an uncle and grandparent was, but got bogged down on what made a cousin, half sister, and stepbrother. They were arguing over what made a second cousin as opposed to a first cousin one removed when the Sergeant came up and sent most of them to some kind of duty. I was to go to the King immediately; he was fitting me in for a quick audience.

This might be strange to say about a King, but he was stubborn. I'm sure he says the same thing about me. He offered me a wardship with him, to train under the Captain until I was old enough to take a position. He asked if I agreed. I did not agree. I had to say it several times in various ways before he understood that I was, in fact, refusing his kind offer. I had no interest in being a soldier. I fight because I have to, not because I enjoy it. I am not sure, to this day, if he was impressed because I was not intimidated, or if he was exasperated because I didn't just say yes and not waste his valuable time. He made some other offers, all of them tying me directly to him in some way. It took a while for him to understand that I would not accept a reward that came with service to him. I have been called again and again to fight by the Goddesses. I could not accept a position where I would not be able to leave when called. Finally he offered to set up a wardship with the Princess. I would accept some training from the Captain, and there would be a investigator set up to try to find who my parents were. This wardship would stand until there was some kind of result from the investigation, one way or another. Then the matter would be looked at again. I agreed. It was essentially the agreement the Princess and I had made, after all. I also held out for one day a week to do whatever I needed. He agreed only if I left after dawn and returned before sunset. I don't know why he wasted his time with the other stuff, but I don't understand politics. I was sweating underneath that new tunic while we fenced with words, which are not my best weapon. I found out that fighting with words is much like fighting with a sword, in that if you keep fighting, you can wear your opponent down. When he dismissed me, I bolted as fast as I could for the garden outside my room, and I stayed there, playing my ocarina, until Willie came and took me to eat with his friends, where they finally agreed on and explained the rest of the family stuff for me. Gwen came by and listened for a time, and was able to clarify the second cousin and first cousin once removed part, then patted me on the shoulder and said something about my being a poor orphan boy.

Well, at least they didn't ask for any more stories. Not that night.

The King watched as the Hero of Time bowed awkwardly and retreated as fast as his dignity would allow, and finished his other audiences, before sending for the Captain. The captain listened to the result of the interview without comment, but the King could hear the "I told you so," underneath the silence. Instead he simply said that he would set up a schedule for Link. That evening Zelda wanted to know what happened, and he told her of the arrangements being made, but not the other offers. The interviews with the boy disturbed him. In some ways Link was just a boy. In others, he was the Hero of Time, and as such he made it clear that he felt he had a higher calling than serving the King. He would, however, serve the other holder of the Triforce, therefore establishing a connection the King could use. He has guts, the King thought. I can believe now that he has done what he said. At the same time, the thought galled that the Hero of time was a boy, a small, slender teenaged boy, and one that was not under his control. The only thread of authority he would accept was the agreement they had. Under the law, the King could not enforce his service or a wardship over the boy, and somehow the boy knew it. The King hoped that a family would appear in the investigation. No one could be more stubborn than that young man, with the possible exception of his daughter and his old friend, Stefan. Stefan would be a match for the boy, he thought whimsically, and wondered if there was any possible relationship.

_Link speaks_

The lessons were not too bad. The weapons training was in things like the pike and other soldier's weapons, along with practice with the sword and shield and with archery. Then I headed to my lessons with Sir Wills in the library. I liked Sir Wills. He was a knight, but he was a scholar too, and he would explain things in ways I could understand. If I was having trouble, we would go walk in the gardens and he would ask me about Termina, or the oracles, or the Great Deku tree. He said once that he was learning as much from me as I was teaching him. He was firm about the manners, though. I tried hard with him, but felt clumsy. He assured me I was not; it was just a matter of practice. He also drilled me on how to address nobles, ambassadors, and other specially titled people. The reason for the drilling was one I understood and was willing to work with. I had to attend court. Termina had already sent a delegation. The Captain took me to court, but had to deal with an urgent matter and told me to find Impa. I tried. I really did. What neither of us thought of was that one of the Princess's ladies knew me by sight, and I got swarmed by a unending sea of pretty girls in nice dresses, with sweet-smelling fans and chattering voices, all of them determined to talk to me somehow. I got away into one of the side rooms and I was afraid to go back in without help. Gwen finally found me and got Impa to come for me. That night I spoke with the Termina ambassador, and with some of the people he brought with him. I recognized two; one was the Mayor of Clock Towne, and the other was the banker who still had an account with me. I had to tell about what happened in those endless three days. I could tell they were surprised by what I said, but they were convinced. As much of the Court as could crowd around was listening, but I didn't see them until after my recital was over. The worse part of that was not that night. I had to listen to Impa, the Princess, and Gwen laugh themselves sick when they figured out what happened to me. Link, the Hero of Time, was able to deal with a demon mask and a dark magician, was able to face down the King of Hyrule and rescue the Queen of Labrynna, but he didn't know how to handle a girl, they said, and laughed some more. After a time they picked themselves up, took deep breathes, and worked out a plan to have me escort the Princess the next time I had to go to Court.

Sir Wills was also teaching me penmanship. I could write, but not very well; he said he could set one of his clerks to reading my attempts at writing for a punishment. He usually wanted me to write about the dark times, and to describe what I remembered of them. I don't know why, but I had to fill two parchments each lesson. Today I had to write about the Forest Temple and Saria. I consoled myself with remembering that I could see her the next day, as it was my day off. I was really looking forward to it, too. I was most of the way through the first parchment when I heard, "Yink?"

"Ian?" I said, craning my neck around. The plumb little boy, with his dark hair and eyes, about three, was charging through the room, and, when he got to me, climbed into my lap. I reached into my pouch and got him one of the sweets for my throat. I looked around and saw Anna, his twelve year old sister, charging behind him, as usual, and behind her was the Captain. I stood up, putting Ian on the chair. Anna, her long, dark brown hair reaching to her hips and her merry blue eyes twinkling, went to pick him up, and he grabbed me and giggled. Sir Wills, hearing the noise Ian seemed to carry with him everywhere he went, came over.

"Are we invaded?" he asked, looking at Ian and Anna.

"The children were to pick up the letter for their mother," the Captain said. "When the little one saw me, he though Link must be nearby. You," he said, addressing Ian, who giggled again, "are an imp." I nodded, agreeing. The child had managed to get into the practice field somehow, and I had gotten him out and found his sister and nursemaid hunting for him. It turned out that they were in the garden next to mine, and there was a gap in the hedge just small enough for both of them to squeeze through. Ian had found it and tagged after me. He reminded me of the child at Lon Lon Ranch, the son of the blacksmith by an earlier marriage. I remembered I had to get him and Malon something before I went to get Epona. Sir Wills found the letter and sent them both off with it, and set me back to the parchment. "Link, I was to remind you that you have from sunrise to sunset. No later."

"Yes, sir."

I escorted the Princess to Court a few weeks after the lessons started. The Holodrum and Labrynna delegations came together, and they included the Oracles. The Oracle of Seasons, Din, teased me about becoming "polished" and I squirmed. The Princess told her about the hunt for my parents. The oracle became very intent. "Do you have anything from your parents?" she asked. I nodded, thinking of my mother's locket. "Bring it to me tomorrow." I did, after lessons. I found the Princess there as well. I was glad for her support, until the scrying was over. Then I wished she wasn't there, because I needed to cry and I couldn't in front of her. I thanked the Oracle and left as fast as I could. The Oracle called up a girl, not much older than the Princess, who was crying and writing a letter to her mother. She was blond with brown eyes and looked somewhat familiar. I did not know why until the Oracle told me she looked like me. We were able to read the letter, which was a apology for running away and a plea to forgive. It was signed Bethany Link. At least I knew my mother's name now, and I knew that she had been in the village because she ran away from her home to marry my father. She did not give his name in the letter. I went into the garden and thought I would play, and I didn't. Instead I let the tears come. After a time, I heard the children come in. Ian, little imp, saw me crying and wanted to kiss to make it better. Anna took out her handkerchief and wiped my face, saying I should have my own. Then both of them sat by me and hugged me, not sure what was wrong but trying to help just the same. Then their nursemaid came in, and she shooed the children out, and told me she had made a drink for me and to drink it down, dear, and lie down, I would feel better. After a time, I went in my room, and found a note on the bed telling me I was excused from Court.I told myself I was being stupid, that I had never known her except as the figure in my past, but it did not help. I had heard from a living person who had left her family to go with the man who had been my father, and died far from home because of it. I wondered about my father. He had never been more than a shadowy necessity, a sire, but now he was someone Bethany Link had loved enough to leave a secure family for to marry.

After weapons practice, I told Sir Wills what Din had found, and he pointed out the investigator who was working on my parent search. Together we all hunted for a Link family. Finally the investigator found it, buried in dust. The Links were a old family. The last entry regarding the family had been over twenty five years ago, when the last male in the family died. He left a family, including his wife, Beatrice, and two daughters, Bethany and Elaine. The Bethany listed was about right for the age of the young woman I had seen in the scrying. There was an estate, Woldshold, in the north of Hyrule. The investigator said he would look into the matter immediately.

None of them liked giving me the days out, but I needed them; I missed Saria, Malon, and open, untamed space. I always went to Lon Lon ranch and saw Malon and her family and got Epona, and then went to see Saria and the Kokeri. If any of them needed anything, I helped. Otherwise, I spent the day outside. Saria knew, as I did, that my time in the Castle was the beginning of my leaving the Lost Woods forever. The Great Deku Tree told me that I must follow my heart, but I was always welcome. Malon just wanted to hear about the people in the Castle. She giggled when I told her that Ian was just like her stepson, and described the Princess and Impa. I told her about my first day in Court, and wished I had not, because she laughed as hard as Impa did. She cried when I told her about seeing my mother, and I almost did again. Instead I picked up the child and fed him one of the sweets, and she told me I spoiled him. "Why do you change into those clothes when you come here?" she asked.

"You almost didn't know me when I came back in the other ones," I told her.

"You're outgrowing them," she pointed out practically. I had to agree. The Captain firmly believed that boys my age needed food, and made sure I got at least four meals a day. The strange thing was, he was right. When the food was there, I wanted it, and I was not only filling out, I was growing taller. I could still wear the Kokeri tunic, but it was tight and getting short. The blacksmith said that I was growing up, that was all. "Getting man-tall," he said with approval. I glanced at the sky, and went to groom Epona and change. As I walked back to the Castle, I thought about how everything was changing. I waved to Willie, who was on guard duty. The investigator was waiting for me. He said that he had seen Beatrice Link, who confirmed that she had a daughter Bethany Link who had married outside the wishes of her family. If I wanted to know more, I would come and see her in person. I thanked him. The Princess sent for me and dragged the story out of me before she let me go to bed and advised me to get permission before I went.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The next day in court, it was the Oracle of Ages, Nauru, who was with the delegation, and she commented that I had grown. She asked me to play with her the next day after my lessons. I joined her in the garden and we were joined first by Ian and Anna, who danced to the music, and then by the Princess. They were due to leave the next day, and before she left the garden where we were playing, she told me not to go to my mother's family without an escort. She did not know why. I respected her advice enough that when I requested permission from the King to go visit, I included a request for a escort. I asked Sir Wills to read over the request, and he was pleased both with me and with how well it was done, and he said he would send the message on for me.

A few days later, I had just come back from lessons and gone into the garden when I heard Anna and Ian screaming. I raced out to see a Dinofoe chasing them in the larger garden. Anna was running as fast as she could, but she was carrying Ian and it was gaining on her fast. The Dinofoe did not see me and I snatched her, running across its path, just in time to avoid the blast of fire. I got them to the only possible cover, a garden bench, and grabbed the only thing that was remotely a weapon, an iron pole used in trimming the hedges. I didn't have my pouch, with the boomerang and bow, not even one of the few Deku Nuts I had left. The creature was on us. The bench was a better shield than nothing for the children, but the iron rod was bad a weapon, and the monster slashed me a few times before Impa and Willie arrived. I saw Impa grab the children while Willie rushed the Dinofoe with his pike. The Dinofoe knocked him flying. I shoved the pole into the thing's mouth as it reared back to blow again, and ran for his weapon. I got it up and moving just as it spit the rod out of its mouth, and I used that pike to break its neck, just as the Captain and other soldiers raced in. I gulped air and stood still for a while all kinds of noise broke out. "It has death throes," I warned the Captain, and the soldiers approaching it jumped back as the arms twitched.

The Captain was moving me when a lady ran up and waved us into a gate and a room, saying she was a healer. She proceeded to wrap the large cuts in wet cloth and instructed the Captain to hold the cloths on my arm wounds to slow the bleeding while she examined my leg. She cleaned it in something that stung like the devil, and stitched it before bandaging. She then did one arm at a time. I told the Captain what the Dinofoe was and what happened. "Are the children all right?"

"Frightened to death, but not hurt otherwise," said a stately woman from the door. She looked a little rattled herself. The healer finished stitching my right arm and moved to my left. "Captain, the message just came that they want everyone involved to come to a meeting as soon as possible." I looked to see how much more the healer had to do. "Not you, young man!"

"But..." I said.

"No," the Captain and the healer said firmly. The Captain continued, "Between the witnesses and what you just told me, we don't need you at this moment."

"You've lost quite a bit of blood," the healer added. "You're going to get the shakes in a few minutes, and those cuts will start hurting enough to make you want to curse if they aren't already. Did it get you with that sword or those claws?" She was bandaging my arm as she spoke.

I could feel the after-battle reaction starting to hit me, just as she said. "I don't know," I admitted.

"We'll need to look sharp for fever, then," she said. "You need to go to bed. Who are your parents?" She stood over me, determined that I was not going to move. I told her I was right across from them, in the next room over; I could get there without a problem. By this time the children's nursemaid came in, and informed her that Link had no parents or guardians. She had clothes, one of which looked like a nightshirt, and behind her came Gwen, with water. The healer insisted on helping me bathe, but she did relent and made the other women leave. She inspected me from head to foot to see that I did not have other wounds, and sure enough, I did. She washed and put some kind of ointment on the smaller scratches, and embarrassed me by looking over the scars before letting me dress. There was some kind of robe with the nightshirt. Neither was mine, because they swallowed me. When I was decently covered, the healer left, telling me to stay put and she was bringing me something to drink. The stately lady, eyes and hair as dark as Ian's, came back in, waving at me to stay down when I started to stand.

"My children seem to know you," she said. I nodded. "I am Matilda, Duchess Lawrence." She smiled at my startled look. "And you are Link, they tell me and their friend that they visit in the garden, the ocarina player? Anna also tells me you don't have parents." I nodded again. "Whatever in the Goddess' name possessed you to go to their aid, I thank you. I saw the-creature- and you are very brave, to face such a thing. The least we can do for now is see that you have care until the cuts heal. Can you tell me what happened?" I told her what little I could. She listened, and then the healer came in to take me to a bed in another room. She had something she said was for pain, and some kind of clear soup. I did feel better after drinking it. I also felt tired, and wondered what was in the nasty tasting drink for pain. I didn't have a chance to ask, as Ian peeked in and rushed in as soon as he saw me, climbing the bed and huddling against me. Anna came in with somewhat more dignity to start with, then rushed over and started crying, sobbing that she was sorry, she couldn't run fast enough. I roused myself to tell her I got scratched up a little, I was fine, just tired. I told her she was brave to take Ian and run, and that she had done just what she should do. I told her that most adults would not have been that brave. I asked her if she saw where it came from, and she said a big cloud. She calmed down, still sniffling a little.

When the healer looked in on her patient, she found him, as she expected, asleep. She also found the two children asleep with him, huddled against him, one on either side, with his bandaged arms around them. She slipped away and got the nursemaid to help bring the children out of the room. The duchess was standing in the door as they approached. "He's not much more than a child himself is he?" she said quietly, as they looked at the bed. The nurse picked Ian up, and the healer managed to get Anna, without waking either the children or Link. The duchess pulled the door to a crack. She waited up for her husband, who had left in search of information. When he came in, she told him where Link was.

"Goddess," the duke muttered, and sighed. He stood at the door a time, studying the youth who had defended his children. He was a tall man, broadly built, with dark hair but the blue eyes of his daughter, and a short beard covering the lower part of his face. She offered him a meal, which he declined. "They had food at the conference," he said. Then he was quiet a moment, gathering his thoughts. "It's a long story. First, this is the young man who rescued the Princess from the dark magician in Labrynna. The one the stories are about. The Hero of Time stories."

She gasped. "But he's so young!" She looked over toward the room where Link lay sleeping.

"Just so. He's an orphan. When he was an infant, there was an attack on a village near the Lost Woods. His mother ran into the woods, wounded, seeking shelter. She died. The child lived, to be raised by the Fairy Children. He had his first adventure at twelve. He's been to Termina and Holodrum, too.The Princess brought him here, promising to help him find out who his parents are if they could. They had just found out who his mother was about a week ago. They tell me he still hasn't met the family. The King was just about to give him permission to go see them and set up a escort when this happened."

"Who are they?"

"The Links of Woldshold- Link's the child of Bethany Link." He waited as she absorbed this information.

"Isn't that the girl you were betrothed to, that ran away with your brother?" He nodded. "Goddess! That boy in there, the one who saved the children, you think he could be your nephew?" She pointed at the door. "And he doesn't know?"

"Until today, I thought the child died with his mother. There was no way to know any different."

"Were they married?"

"I think so, but I don't know for certain. I'd have to search for the record again. But if this is Bethany Link's child, and he looks remarkably like her, then he's my brother's son. I have no doubt of that. "

"Yes, but if he's not legitimate, they'll have first claim! I want to keep him with us, Stefan! "Her face twisted in a sudden sob. "No more than a boy, and he faced that-that thing-- to save our children! He was getting his arm stitched up, bleeding from the other and just had his leg sewn up, and he asked about the children. And when he was put to bed, the children went to him; we found them all asleep together. He's got no one else to go to, why not us? "Suddenly she was weeping. "We came so close to losing them, Stefan! So close!" He reached out and held her.

"I know," he said quietly, and let her weep. After a time, she calmed. "I'll search for the record tomorrow, along with the investigator working on this, and in the meantime, those wounds should keep him here, shouldn't they?" She thought so, and they went on to bed.

_Link speaks_

When I woke up the next morning, I was stiff and sore and my scratches ached, but they looked clean. It took me a moment to remember where I was. No one else was awake that I could see, except for the guard at the garden gate. He was looking out, and didn't see me slip through the gap in the hedge. I got dressed and went to the practice field, hoping they would go easy today. The stitches were sore, and I felt pounded. When I'm fighting, or in an adventure, I usually am either so rushed I ignore feeling bad, or I'm healed before I feel the worst. This time was different. I knew there was a Great Fairy not far away, but I wasn't sure she would heal me since I wasn't in a Goddess sponsored adventure and the closest place I could get a healing potion was Termina; for some reason all the potions shops in Hyrule were gone.

"Link, what are you doing here?" Impa asked. She was dressed for her daily workout. I blinked, not sure what she meant. "You have got to be the most stubborn, hard-headed..."

On hearing Impa scold, the Captain came out to see what was going on. "What are you doing here, Link?" Was there an echo in this room, I wondered, by now annoyed. "You had three cuts that needed stitches and had blood all over you yesterday. I thought you were with the Duchess' family until your cuts were healed. Willie's in bed today and he didn't take the pounding you did. "I asked what was wrong. "He's just bruised up. Now go back to bed before you pull those stitches out! Every soldier needs to rest after being wounded, and if you leave without the healer or the Duchess's permission again, I'll detail a man to sit on you. "

"I'll take him," Impa said. By this time I was as uncomfortable and sore as they knew I would be, and I walked back with her meekly enough, but one of the Princess's ladies stopped and offered to come and keep me company. Impa declined for me, to my vast relief. I said I had enough ladies bothering me, thinking of the nursemaid and the healer, and she said she would arrange for me to be left alone if I would drink a healing potion that she would make for me. I agreed fast. I knew I was in for a scolding when the healer saw me, and I would have agreed to just about anything to get out of it. Sure enough, as soon as I walked in the door, she was there. For a moment she just stared at me. Impa asked to speak to her, and she nodded to Impa, looked at me, and pointed toward the door to the room I slept in that night. I went. I have to admit it felt good to sit and lie back. After a time, the healer came in and checked the stitches, which were not pulled and were just a little red. She wrapped them again, and told me in no uncertain terms that I was to stay in bed for that day. The nursemaid brought me breakfast, and with it came the potion Impa made. It was hot but it didn't taste too bad. I drank it, and the nursemaid coaxed me to lie down. The next thing I knew, I was staring at lengthening shadows from the small, high window. I had slept away most of the day. Ian was peeking at me from the side of the bed. At least, I thought as I got a drink, I did feel better. The healer came in and smiled at me while I gulped water, then got some for Ian. Then she yelled at me for picking him up. Ian wasn't that big, but she looked at my cuts again anyway, before she let me eat. I remembered that the next day was my usual day off, and I stayed meek and did as I was told the rest of the day-what was left of it.

"Where's Link?"

The duchess looked up from Ian, who was in her lap eating his breakfast and making a mess. "I have not seen him. He's not in his room?"

"No." Duke Stefan frowned. He went to speak to his man at arms who was guarding the front door to the suite, but he swore no one had left except the Duke himself. As the Duke had been at the practice grounds already, he knew Link was not there either. The man at arms patrolling the garden said that indeed the young man had left right at sunset that morning; all the guard knew that Link was allowed to leave on this day until the evening. No one had told them to hold him that day. Duke Stefan grunted in disapproval, but went back and told his wife what happened. She was appalled. The healer swore she was going to take away that boy's clothes until she took the stitches from his cuts. The Duke had the sense to leave before they started to blame him. He did speak to the Captain, who told him that Link had come to practice as usual yesterday, but like everyone else, he thought the boy had better sense than to go out when he still had stitches

"Where does he go?" the Duke asked. No one knew. The Duke sighed and sent a message to the King asking to speak to him. He presented the copy of the marriage record, and formally requested that Link's wardship be dissolved as he was now legally the boy's guardian. The King explained it would not be that simple. Link's maternal relatives did have a claim that would have to be addressed as he was the heir to the Link properties, being that he was the only child of either of Sir Walter Link's daughters. He had received a demand from Beatrice Link that the child they claimed was her daughter's son be sent to her along with proofs of his birth. "Your claims are equal," he warned. "I want Link with you, Stefan. You might be able to handle him, and he's already fond of your children. I don't think any woman can, no matter how formidable, with the exception of Zelda, and I would prefer to have him at some distance from her."

"Why? Romantic inclinations?"

"Not yet, so her guardian says. They're friends. But that could grow. Besides, as headstrong as both of them are, and at their age, they'll find trouble fast enough. So far they haven't gotten their heads together on anything except setting up this wardship, but Zelda's got that boy wound around her finger, and she's bright enough to get them into quite a bit of trouble if she set her mind to it." He took a gulp of wine from his glass. They were in a solar in the King's suite, talking informally. "That boy needs a lot of work, Stefan. We've been working with him, and he's learned a great deal, but he still needs work."

"You're fond of him." Duke Stefan noted.

"Yes, but I admit until today I had no idea what to do with him. He wouldn't accept service to me. He's got the idea in his head that he has to be able to go on one of these adventures when he's called." The King frowned. "I know what he's done, Stefan, and I'm grateful, don't misunderstand me, but it's not right. No child should be forced into fighting that young."

"I agree. I want to get him to my estates and train him there." He frowned at his drink. "I did look for Bethany when Eric died. I think now we were far too harsh." He grimaced. "That would have to be the first time Elaine Link and I agreed on anything. "

"Did you have feelings for the mother?" The scandal was before his friendship with the Duke.

"Not really. She was lovely. Link looks a lot like her, except his eyes and his stubbornness, which he gets from Eric. The betrothal was made by our parents, to join our lands, but both of us accepted the idea, until Eric met her. He got training under your father, and got knighted after a battle. He came back to rest, and met her. A few weeks later he came to talk to me, asking me to agree to release her. They were madly in love, he said. He said he tried to fight it, to leave again, and he couldn't, and she felt the same way. She was too afraid of her mother- the father was dead by then, died in his sleep one night- to ask her to break it. We got into a nasty fight, and he left. Three weeks later we found out that Bethany was gone, and Beatrice Link, that witch, accused Eric of kidnapping. There wasn't any question of that, but the family was embarrassed. Eric sent a letter. Father sent it back without opening it. I hear Beatrice did the same with Bethany. Then we got a letter telling us of Eric's death, about a year later, and I looked for Bethany then. I found out she had a child, but that they both were lost in that attack."

"Considering that no one leaves the Lost Wood with their memory intact, no one can blame you. for not finding the child," the King told him dryly. "But you can't take a child raised like that, after what he's done, and tell him that he's going to do what you tell him to do. Underage or not. There has to be some accommodation. I want to settle the boy, not lose him. "

"I'll try. I can't say much more than that. "

"Good. Talk to him when you can, and let me know. He'll be back by sunset. He always is."

_Link speaks_

I was back by sunset, like I always am. I didn't try to change into my Kokeri tunic this time, because the sleeves were too tight to put on over the bandages. Malon noticed I was more tired than usual, and I had to tell her why. She fussed. Even the blacksmith was concerned. She refused to let me go on to see Saria alone, and I have to admit I was too tired to argue with her. She rode with me to the Lost Woods, where Saria was waiting. She already knew what had happened, because the Great Deku Tree had sensed the magic that brought the Dinofoe, and was disturbed. She told me that there was a disturbance in the earth itself, and that the Dinofoe was sent by a witch, but she would not have been able to send it without the help of a darker power. That was all she could tell me, except that I must let myself heal. She promised to make me another tunic and hat. The matter was not clear enough yet, she said, to know what to do. Malon took me back and made me stay quiet the rest of the day, and she rode with me to the town, leaving just out of sight of the castle. The healer met me halfway and started scolding loudly enough that everyone could hear her, and she didn't stop until she had me back in the ducal suite. Then the Duke introduced himself. He told her he needed to talk to me, and to just check the bandages and go. She huffed, but she obeyed, checking and rewrapping the stitched cuts before glaring her way out of the room. He got both of us something to drink, after making sure I wasn't hungry. I sipped. It was wine, which I don't like, but I didn't say so. He thanked me for helping his children and asked how I knew them. I told him about Ian following me to the practice grounds one morning, and how after that they would come over to see me in the afternoons. He asked what I knew about the Dinofoe, and I talked about them, as he asked where I saw them and what kinds there were. I sipped at the wine because talking always makes me thirsty. He got up at one point when someone came to the door. I put my head against the back of the chair, and I must have gone to sleep. I remember that he woke me up enough that I could get to bed, and told me we would talk the next day.

He met me as I was coming out of the room. He had already arranged for me to spend some time with him. He walked with me out of the castle and into the town. I know the town well, but I didn't know where we were going until we got to the Temple of Din. He spoke to one of the priests there about a record. The priest nodded, looked at me with interest, and led us back to a dusty old room. He said cheerfully. ""Here you are, your Grace, the record of the marriage and the birth. Is this the young man you told me of?" The Duke nodded. "Then you'll want to see these," the priest told me. I looked at the papers. One was a record of a marriage, between Bethany Link and Eric Lawrence. I looked back up at both the men, who were smiling. I looked at the second one. It was the record of a birth of a boy, named Link Lawrence, to Bethany Link Lawrence and Sir Eric Lawrence. They were married in the spring, and I was born, it seemed, in the winter. These papers told me who my parents were. Not what they were like or the kind of people they were, but at least I had a connection.

The Duke took me back out, and I thanked him for finding the information. We went to a small inn, where the landlord knew the Duke and found us a private room. He delivered wine to the Duke, cider to me, and promised to bring a meal. "I was looking for information on Eric myself. I knew he had come to this area with Bethany, but I didn't know if he married her, or what happened to their son. Finding those records was the result of month's worth of search. I knew there was a record, but I did not know where it was. When I did find it, I also found that Bethany had died, and the belief was that her child died with her." He paused to take a drink.

"Why were you looking?" I asked.

"Sir Eric Lawrence was my brother." I sat and stared at him. I was numb. It had never occurred to me that either of my parents might have family themselves. I mean, I knew that my mother had a mother and a sister, but Zelda had told me that Beatrice Link wanted proof that I was her daughter's son and they didn't feel real yet. "You look very much like your mother," he told me. "I saw that as soon as I saw you. My search was years ago, Link, but you were in the Lost Woods and there was no way of knowing I was wrong. "

I murmured, still shocked, "Does that mean you're my uncle?"

"As you say. " He smiled. "It's very strange, to meet my nephew this way, but I can say for certain your father would have been proud of you. He was knighted for doing something much like you did, rescuing a family from a burning house and protecting them in the middle of a battle." That was when I started asking him about my father and mother, what they looked like, what they acted like, what happened to make them run away. We ate at the inn. On the way back to the Castle, though, the talk turned to practical matters. He casually asked about the Hero of Time stories.

"Most of what the stories say isn't true," I said, trying to bypass the subject.

"What part is? " We were driving past a fence on a quiet lane, and stopped to look out over Hyrule field.

I swallowed. I try to avoid talking about this kind of stuff; I wasn't sure how he would take it. "That there was a dark time when evil ruled the land. That part's true. The great hero stuff, it's a little true. When I freed the Sages, I had a lot of help. I was grown, nineteen."

"Ancient," he said dryly.

I laughed a little. "I mean I was big enough to handle the Master Sword. I know that sounds strange. Sometimes I think it's a dream, except when I play this." I pulled out my ocarina and looked at it. "But the dark times happened." I put the ocarina away.

"Exciting times?" he asked.

"No," I said harshly, and he frowned. "Not exciting. Dark. Ugly. The Dinofoe was a baby lizard compared to some of the things I saw then. "I wasn't really seeing him. I was remembering. "It was because of that that the Princess erased those times. It's a good thing most people don't remember. Sometimes I wish I didn't." I looked out at Hyrule Field and saw sunshine, and remembered where I was and who I was talking to. "The rest of the adventures weren't as bad, though I got really tired of going back those three days over and over again in Termina."

"Why you, Link?" He watched me as he asked.

I showed him the Triforce mark on my hand. "I hold part of the Triforce. I have to go when I'm called."

He took my hand, looking at the mark, then let go. "You're very young to hold such responsibility," he said.

"Yes, sir."

"You can call me uncle." He smiled, and I smiled back. We moved on for a time. Then he was serious again. "I'm told you understand the law regarding orphans. " I nodded. "You understand, then, that knowing you're my nephew, by the law, I am responsible for you." I stopped and ran through the law in my mind. He was right. What had protected me from being held by either a family or the king now meant that this man- my oldest male relative- was able to hold me, despite my own wishes, until I was nineteen. "What's wrong?" He had noticed my reaction. The entire time we had talked, I never considered how the information would affect me, or him. I was too absorbed trying to know what my parents were like. Somehow it never occurred to me that finding my family would mean acquiring a guardian. For the first time I understood was why the king made certain the wardship was temporary until the investigation was over.

"I don't know what to think. I never thought there might be other family. I just wanted to know where I came from. I never thought of what would happen afterward." I might not have thought, but he had. That was why he had shown me the records before he told me, and reminded me of the law. I felt the trap spring and I was helpless to stop it. I had walked right into it with my eyes wide open.

He stopped me with a hand on my shoulder, and turned me to look at him. He was a good head taller than I and quite a bit broader, and most of that was muscle, but his voice was gentle. "You're in a position where you've had to act like a man even though you were not. Still, you're at the age where there are a lot of changes. You've had a strange upbringing, with the fairy children, with no way to prepare you for being a man. You need guidance there. You need a family, Link. You need people who will get you what you need at this time in your life, whether it's explaining why you feel certain ways or that you get clothes that are your size or you get training you need. You need to look to your future. You've done some hard and strange tasks, and in some ways you're a man and in some ways you aren't. For a time, let me deal with everything. Let me make the decisions. You're young, and you're inexperienced." Then he became brisk. "For now I see no reason why you shouldn't stay with your current lessons. I need to look into what happened with the children." He paused, and his voice became firm. "But you do not leave the Castle without my permission, and you will tell me where you are going when you ask."

"Yes, uncle." What else could I say?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The Duke looked over at Link, who was standing between he and the Duchess, and approved his manner. The boy was still dazed from the revelation that day, from the way he looked, but he stood straight and did not react to the murmurs that washed over the Court after the Duke's announcement. When the Princess sent for Link, the duchess escorted him there herself. Returning to her husband, she told him the story of Link's first day in Court, and they both smothered laughter. They looked over at him standing by the Princess's chair, and at that moment something she said made him laugh. Then they both sobered, and the conversation became earnest.

"So that young man is a Lawrence. I might have known."

The Duke turned to see a elderly lady at his elbow. "How do you do, Lady Spoilt?"

"Well enough for my age. If he's your nephew, you owe me a fan."

"A fan. Just how do you know my nephew, my lady?" Lady Spoilt taught manners for the noble children taking training at the Castle, and had for over thirty years. She had taught both the duke and his brother, and the King.

"I gave him a lesson one day when Sir Wills was ill. He broke my fan."

"How did the fan break, my lady? On his head?" The Duchess had been talking to an acquaintance but came over. She was not the only one listening.

The old lady snorted. "His head's hard enough, but no. I crack knuckles, not heads. I tried to crack his, and he took it from me and broke it in three places. I told him that boys needed pain to learn, and he was impertinent enough to tell me that if that were so, he should be a scholar by now. "

"I see." It was all he could do not to laugh out loud. "If I can find a fan that my nephew can't break, my lady, I'll present you with it. Until then." He walked away, his Duchess falling by his side. Behind him he heard someone say that he believed now that the boy was the Hero of Time, because no one else would have been brave enough to say that to the old battleaxe's face. "I need to speak to the King, my dear, and then we can leave. Do you want to get our nephew, before the young ladies get to him?" She laughed. Approaching the king, he heard a burst of laughter from the other chair and looked over, but Link had seen his aunt. He took his departure correctly from the Princess, and went to the Duchess, who led him away. "I begin to see what you meant yesterday, about Link and about the two of them," he said to his old friend, then joined his wife and nephew, who saw him take his leave and waited for him.

"How come you can stand up to Lady Spoilt and not to Audrey?" she asked. Audrey was the healer.

"I didn't break the fan on purpose," he protested. "It was reflex. "I saw it move toward me, and I grabbed it."

"Did you really tell her that if it took pain to learn, you should be a scholar?" He winced, which was answer enough, and the duke and the duchess both laughed.

"Oh," the duchess said, wiping at her eyes and eyeing her squirming nephew, "I should be all righteous and tell you, you should never have done that but just imagining the look on her face... Who is your manners instructor?"

"Sir Wills." said the duke. "Who, in fact, had already told me the story, and also told me that Link gives him no trouble at all." Link stopped squirming. "She had her nerve asking me for a replacement."

"She asked the Princess too," Link told him.

"What did Her Highness say?"

"She said anyone stupid enough to try to hit the Hero of Time deserved to lose her fan." The duchess put her hand over her mouth to try to stifle her laughter.

_Link speaks_

They had already moved all my stuff from the old room to the one I had now. I discovered that the household had a routine, and that the healer and the nursemaid agreed with the Captain about growing boys and food. I went back to the regular lessons with Sir Wills the next day. He limited my weapons work for the stitches for a week or so. My uncle came by and watched me practice. He took me on in a practice bout with heavy wooden swords, and we came out even. He was stronger, and I was faster. I got a bruise on my unstitched leg, and I scored three times, but I don't think I bruised him. He was pleased. He said my style was right for my size. He went with me to my lessons with Sir Wills, and Sir Wills set me to my writing practice so he could talk to him back in the little room he called an office. I had finished and was looking up the Lawrence family information when they came out. Sir Wills picked up the parchment to look it over, as usual, and my uncle looked at it as well. He frowned as he read, but he didn't say anything, so I went back to reading the family history. After a time, he put the parchment down and left. I asked if it looked that bad. Sir Wills hesitated, then said," No, you did well, no blots this time. What are you looking at?" I showed him, and he approved. We went on to set up a genealogy chart for me. After lessons, I went back to find my aunt looking over my clothes and frowning. She thought I didn't have enough and the ones I had didn't fit me very well, and talked about going to a tailor. I asked what a tailor was, and she gave me the strangest look before explaining that they made clothes for people. She asked where I had gotten the clothes I had, and she did not like the answer until I told her about the Kokeri outfit. She wanted to see it. I took it out to show her. "It's getting too small," I said, looking at its familiar green and leather cloth and the hat, "since I can't seem to stop eating."

"Thank the Goddess," she said. I looked at her, puzzled, and she added hastily, "You're thin for your age. It's too soon to tell if you're going to be your uncle's size or take after your mother's family." I asked if she knew my mother, and she said she didn't, but that she had met my grandfather and my Aunt Elaine before and they were not as large as my uncle but larger than me. "I remember that your grandfather was a kind man, but not much more," she added. "He died not long after that. Your Aunt Elaine is sweet but she's a little, ah, talkative."

"She's a ninny," my uncle said, looking in the door. I heard Anna giggle behind him. "We're only going to be here a few more weeks, Matilda, those will do him for now. The girls bother him enough as it is." That made Anna giggle more.

"You need to see to that land dispute for me," my aunt reminded him. "And isn't there the other family visit?" She walked out as he scowled. I remembered telling the Princess about trying to explain Triforce and the adventures to him, and that I didn't think he could understand, and about the restrictions. She told me to get used to it. It went with having a family. She told me I had been following a family tradition, as both sides of the family were descended from Hylian knights. The thought made me smile.

"Link?" I looked over at my uncle. "You seemed far away."

"Something Sir Wills and I did today. A family chart. The Princess told me that both my parents were from the old Hylian knights, and I wanted to look it up." They were both quiet for a moment, smiling at me. "When am I supposed to go see the other ones?"

"Link!" my aunt cried out. "The 'other ones' indeed!" She was trying not to laugh. My uncle did laugh. "Next week. Your uncle has to see to some business for me, and Woldshold is on the way back, so you can go with him."

"Can you ride?" my uncle asked.

Anna, who had been listening from the other room, called out, "Link has a horse named Epona."

If the Dinofoe had been chasing Anna right then, I would have considered letting it catch her. My uncle jerked his head for me to follow him out of the room, as Anna told everyone about my horse that only Malon and I could handle, and the ranch with the cuccos and the cows and the special kind of milk, and the man who was always asleep. When she was finished, my uncle asked, very casually, "And how old is Malon?"

"She's married with a child Ian's age," I told him. I had been teased before about meeting a girl on my days out, and didn't want more ribbing. "I keep Epona at the ranch unless I need her. It's where I go on my days out."

"Hmm. Then you could bring her on this trip." It wasn't a question. "In that case you can go and get her before we leave next week." I nodded. A day off! "In the afternoon. " Well, it was better than nothing. I could manage quite a bit of moving with Epona in an afternoon. I did, too. I got to Lon Lon Ranch and told Malon what had happened, and she squealed, "Your uncle is a duke?" and went on and on. I had to interrupt her to make sure she understood I would have Epona for a time. Then I went off to Saria. She told me to visit the Great Fairy near the Castle and she gave me the new tunic and hat. I rushed to the Great Fairy.

She came flying out of the water at the fairy fountain, with her piercing laughter that always freezes my very bones

_There is no time here, Link, Hero of Time. Do not worry._

_There is a darkness stirring. We cannot yet see through the darkness. You are going to the place where the darkness is thick. There is a center of greed and madness there. It reaches for you. Be alert. Be aware that if the Dark Lord has the holder of the Triforce of Courage, he need look no further. _

_I offer you healing. Please take it! _

_I offer you magic. Please take it!_

_You know the spells. Use them well. _

_Farewell, Hero. Come back when you are weary. _

The Duke found Link was dressed, with hair still slightly damp, when he came by the suite to fetch him. The arrangements for the trip were all made, and he had gone by the stables to see Link's horse. He was amazed that Link could get near her. The stable lads assured him that Link had no trouble with her at all. They walked together to the meeting. Link was silent and looked preoccupied. The Duke asked him why, and he said he was a little jumpy about meeting his grandmother, and wanted assurance that the Duke would be there for the visit. The agreement was reached that the Princess's wardship would end when the Link family visit was over and if there was no claim from that family. If there was, the matter would come before the King formally. At that point the conversation between the two men veered to the land dispute, and Link went to the Princess on her wave. The two men watched the children talking. "How's he coming along?" the King asked.

"So far, so good. We're getting information in bits and pieces. Sir Wills has him writing about the first adventures. I read his account of one of the battles. It was-disturbing. He tried to explain why he has to go on his tasks, and I found it strange." The account was a matter of fact telling of fighting an illusion of himself. "It seems that Link has been telling Anna stories, and Anna is more than happy to share them. For one thing, we found out where he's going on his outings. He keeps a horse at a place called Lon Lon ranch."

"Good horses from there. Good milk," the King said.

"The horse is in the stables, and she's as wild as he is. I wondered for a while if he had a girl there, but he said she was married, and I confirmed it. And he's going to the Lost Woods. "

"Ah. Understandable, I suppose. "

"Well, he didn't have time today. If I get him away from the Fairy Children, he might settle down more quickly. He's not so much wild, as that he is not sure what to do or how to act, or so Matilda and the healer think. "

On the other side of the room, Link told the Princess what had happened with the Great Fairy. "Are you nervous?" she asked.

"About meeting the other family, yes. I don't want to be pulled on like a child's tightrope. About the other-I'm not nervous, I'm scared. I always am, before. Idiots who aren't scared die young."

"You're still young," she said, and he smiled at her, lighting up his face. "You look like your mother when you smile."

The Duke was coming up to get his nephew. "Yes, you do," he agreed. "Come now, Link, Beatrice can't be worse than Lady Spoilt."

"That old dragon?" the King asked. The Duke repeated the story and the King roared with laughter. "You've got to be the only student who stood up to the old lady in years, Link! I'm still wary around that fan!"

_Link speaks_

The first part of the journey was fine. The weather was pretty, and the matter under dispute was tiresome to deal with but there was a kind of way-my uncle called it a protocol- for dealing with it. I found it interesting, and he was pleased that I listened and would ask questions afterward. He spoke of me as Link, his brother's son and his ward. He told me to refer questions about me to him, and he told his men to be discreet. Around my uncle, the talk was all about the land dispute and the evidence for each party. However, there were times when he wanted to spend time with some of the older folk and gentry. I walked the town and listened. There was some quiet, worried talk about a dark power growing in the hills. There had been some disturbing signs. Strange creatures had been seen in the woods and around caves. I asked what kind of creatures. A farmer told me it was an ugly thing that had tentacles for arms and skin as tough as bark. There were more Wolfos. There were also rumors of burning skulls and plants that attacked. I did not like the sound of those at all. Bubbles and Deku Scrubs were signs of dark magic. I asked if they knew where it seemed to be centered, but they didn't know, only that it was getting worse. I returned to our lodging, a house that belonged to my aunt. The couple that tended the house gave me a note from my uncle saying that we needed to attend a dinner with a relative of my aunts, and told me what to wear. When I was ready, one of the men, Michael, walked me over. The host and guests were mostly older folk, friends of my aunt and uncle, who inquired on my day in the town and then turned back to their discussions. I heard music and went to see who was playing.

It was an older man, older than my uncle, who was playing a harp. I listened, wondering if I could repeat the tune on my ocarina, when he stopped and said,"Who's there?" I stepped out of the doorway I was standing in. "Hello, young man, and who might you be?" I told my name. "Ah. You're Duke Stefan's nephew, then. "I agreed. "I am called Wren. Do you play?" I told him I had played the harp but I preferred the ocarina. "Sit with me then. This is the Song of Earth. Have you heard it before- no? Play with me then." I took my ocarina out of my pouch and played with him. It was a short, sweet song. I was close enough now to see his hair was peppered with white and dark, and that his eyes were deep brown in a face that had seen a some sun, but not the desert scorching sun of the Garudos.

He said, "It's told if you have magic, and you play the Song of Earth, you will find one of the deep places in her. Priest's tales. You rarely find the Earth Priests now. The Earth Goddess was the first, but she gave much of her power to her daughters when the intelligent races came, and they created Hyrule. " He laughed. "I spent most of my time in the forest and on the road, Link lad, and I tire of talk sometimes. Not used to it. Same for you, I'll wager. We'd best head for the others now, I want my dinner and I think you will too, a young man like you." He got up slowly, and I realized he was older than I thought. "I've got the joint ache now, can't go about the way I used to. " I put up my ocarina, and he leaned on my shoulder. We got back to the solar just as dinner was announced. I discovered that Wren was sitting next to me. After a time the lady on my other side turned and asked me who my parents were and where I was from. I told her who my parents were and that I was originally from the area around the Lost Woods, but I lived in the town by the Castle now.

"The Lost Woods? Are those the ones that they say that if you go in, you don't come out alive?"

"'You lose your memory, your sanity, or your life,'" I quoted, and she shivered. "So the story goes. Do you have anything like that here?" I learned early that if you don't want to talk, ask the askers a question and they'll talk instead.

"Yes, they say there's a great cavern deep in the woods to the south, in the hills, that no one can get out of alive." She went on to list people who had been lost there. Someone else said that no, that person was found in the woods, and eventually most of the family was discussing and arguing over the matter. I turned to see Wren laughing silently beside me. I smiled and reached for my cider. His eyes followed my hand, and he stopped laughing and became intent. I glanced at my hand. He was seeing the Triforce mark. Someone brought up that the Hero of Time went into the Lost Woods.

"Heroes are different, though, aren't they," he drawled, loud enough to be overheard. Silence fell suddenly as everyone looked at him. "What do you think, young Link?"

I looked over at my uncle, not sure what to do. "Those are stories," he scoffed. "Tales to tell children and to while away a few hours on a cold night." He sipped his wine.

"Is that what you think, young man?" Wren watched me. My uncle was frowning, but said nothing as the silence grew.

"I think the stories have been changed so much the Hero of Time wouldn't know himself," I said. There was a murmur of laughing protest, and my uncle's frown relaxed into an amused expression. Talk turned to other matters as the diners got up and moved into another room. My uncle caught my eye and motioned for me to join him. A servant was helping Wren up.

As I drew close, our host, Sir Grumbley, turned and said, "A wise answer, Link! Most boys your age have ideas of romantic adventure. You have a good head on your shoulders." He was a stout, good-natured man. He turned to my uncle. "Old Wren there, he gives the young ones a hard time sometimes. Doesn't like romantic notions, oh no! Says they kill young men before they have time to grow some sense."My uncle said something polite and kept me near him. There was lute music and singing. Sir Grumbley called on one of the guests to sing a new song, one they hadn't heard before, and that man sang a few I had heard around the Castle, mostly love ballads. One had some music similar to the Song of Healing. He had a good voice. I was drifting, remembering how I had used the Song of Healing in Termina, when he finished and I heard my name. I brought my attention back to the company. "Thinking of a particular girl?" Sir Grumbley asked, and everyone laughed. "Know you any new songs, lad? Or do you play?"

"I could sing but few would enjoy it," I said, and everyone laughed.

"Do you play?" They all waited expectantly.

"Link plays the ocarina," my uncle said for me.

Wren said, "Get your little flute out, Link, and play with me." A servant went for the harp, and space was made around the old man. He beckoned me over. A murmur of pleased anticipation ran through the room. He positioned the harp and checked its tune. "Play this for me, lad." He played, and I repeated the song. "Keep playing that for me," he said. I played, and he played around the simple melody, weaving notes around mine. I forgot that the company was there, and played, listening to his kind of magic. "Two more, lad," he said softly, and he ended on the first while I played alone the second and last repeat. A sigh ran through the audience. "Thank you, lad. Well done. " It signaled the end of the evening. Back at the house, my uncle told me I had done well, but wanted to know what the old man and I had spoken of. Nothing more than music, I told him. "Wren is a bard, one of the last," he explained. "He seldom plays for a company anymore, because of his joint ache. For him to play with you is a high compliment." I nodded. "We should have this matter settled tomorrow," he added.

He did, but there were arrangements to make and while they were being made, Wren came by the house. I was getting Epona ready when the housekeeper came to tell me I had a visitor. He didn't waste any time coming to the point. "I know who you are, lad, or better, what." I waited, saying nothing. He smiled, grimly. "Does the Duke of Lawrence know his long-lost nephew is the Hero of Time? " I stayed silent. "And he doesn't like it, does he? Wants his back-up heir to himself. Listen, and listen well. I know you've been warned about the darkness, and given help. I hope it's enough, because the darkness that's gathering is centered in Woldshold, and I'm told that's where you're going. I strengthened you yesterday. Use the song to find the cavern that holds the dark. There's a witch there, but no one knows who it is. Tell your good woman there to fetch my man." I went to the kitchen and told her the Bard was ready to go. He got up stiffly. I went back to Epona, thinking. After I finished with her, I looked over all my gear and weapons. I was doing that when my uncle sent for me.

"What did the Bard want?" the Duke asked. He made no attempt to hide his irritation from his nephew. It was not Link's fault the old man came by, but the duke did not like his authority ignored. "He wanted to warn us that something was wrong in the hills. More creatures, more attacks, and there's the rumor of a witch acting out in the area. He said we needed to be careful."

"Nothing more?" Link hesitated. "Spit it out, boy. He was hinting at you yesterday, wasn't he? He guessed." He strode over to Link and gripped his shoulders. "IF there's trouble, you tell me. Don't go off on your own. Don't fight unless you have to. Let my men deal with the fighting first. They've been fighting longer than you have, and they're stronger. You might jump in before you think and get in their way. Better to stay out, all right? "Link nodded, but looked hurt. "At the same time, there are always bands of outlaws around. Keep your weapons close to hand. Wasn't there an attack when you and the Princess were coming back to Hyrule?" Link nodded. Dinner was announced then, and the Duke watched as Link concentrated on eating. Leave him alone, he thought furiously. Give the boy a chance to learn about being a normal Hylian. Give him a chance to get some meat on his bones and grow. If the goddesses call you, nephew, I can't stop them, but by the goddesses, until they do, I'm going to see to it that you get a chance to live. I owe Eric and Bethany that much. And I need you. Children's lives are always at risk. Matilda tried so hard, but it was a miracle Ian was born, and there will be no more.

The trip to Woldshold was easy the first days. The roads were well traveled, and they stopped at inns for the night. They had just cleared a difficult patch of narrow trail, ending in a clearing, when the armed men hit. There were thirty of them, coming from every direction except the edge of the trail. Link was behind the Duke, and the first act of the attackers was to separate them and get them off the horses. Epona reared, striking out with front hooves, and Link was off, avoiding a strike from behind. She bolted into the woods, causing more confusion. Link, who always rode with his sword and shield on his back, had time to get them off and raised before he was surrounded. The Duke, a better rider, managed to stay on for longer but not much longer, as he was pulled down. His men were fighting fiercely, trying to get to him, but they were being overwhelmed. He heard Link shouting as he fought, forcing back the attackers as he whirled in slashing attacks, moving so fast that he managed to break out of the circle. They had him backed to the cliff and stopped. The Duke was being held to the ground by four men. There was shouting. They had expected only one noble, not two, and they did not know which one they needed. No one dared to get near Link; his path to the cliff was marked by attackers lying still, two only a few feet from him. Then the earth rumbled. It was a small tremor, but the edge of the cliff near where Link was standing crumbled, and he was gone. One moment he was there, the next he was not. The attackers turned to and subdued the rest of the men when he was gone. They left their own dead behind. In the attacking party, more than half were dead or wounded. They bound the Duke to his horse and left, growling to each other about not being told that a demon-child was with the group. The Duke's men were left behind. Not one was unwounded.

They went on and on. They were not using a well-traveled route. They finally got to a cave and forced him off of his horse, dragging him past several creatures that looked like the ones who attacked his children, and glowing skulls the height of his waist. The attackers did not like the creatures, and were quiet except for curses. They came to a huge open room with a cage in one corner, and a workplace of some kind. His mouth went dry as he saw the tables with bottles and jars, and some kind of long, coffin sized trough. There was someone working over the trough, who stood and looked over at them. She pointed to the cage, and they hustled him over to it. She turned to the leader. "This is not the one," she growled. "I gave you specific details. Where is the noble I sent you for?"

"Toby bought it the first hit," the leader growled. "There were two of them. One fell over the edge into the canyon. He's sure to be..."

"Find him. Get him here alive."

"Milady, the other one wasn't a boy like you said, he had to be a demon, he--"  
"I do not want to hear your excuses," she told them, and her voice filled the cavern, a deep growl instead of a older lady's whine. "Find him. And hope he is alive, or you will find out how to die like the one who tried to rob me here. Do you remember?" They all muttered in fear. "You have half your pay. You get the rest when you bring me the noble. Do you understand?" They understood. "Get out before I release my pets." They scrambled out. She stalked over to the table and then back, and threw some kind of dust at the Duke. He went limp, totally unable to move. She opened the cage, cut off his bonds, and fetched food and water, which she placed in a corner. Relocking the cage, she went back to her work. After some endless time, she left. The Duke dragged himself up and got to the meal. He was barely able to move. Then he put his head back against the bars, trying to stay upright. He had not been able to speak when she laid the spell on him, but he knew her. She had aged, but her face still held traces of her old beauty. Why was Lady Beatrice Link sending armed men after her grandchild when he coming to see her? And why, if she was sending them, was she ordering them to bring him to her alive?


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

_Link speaks_

I fell when the earth shakes hit, but I was lucky. Underneath the overhang was a bent, twisted wreck of a tree, and it caught me under my shield arm, bending but not breaking. It took a long time to get to a place where I could climb up and play for Epona, and longer to find the men. Some, the least wounded, had left for the king's garrison. The others were glad to see me alive. They had set up a camp in a shallow cave. They insisted on checking me over. My shield arm was bruised, and I had some other bruises, but no cuts. They had medical supplies and food and managed to make a fire. There was a spring nearby. "Get help," they told me. "Go to Woldshold and get help." By the time I found the town, it was getting dark. The streets were empty except for a lady who was rushing down the street. She was blond and plain, but she resembled the picture of my mother.

She said, in a strangled tone, "Link?" I nodded. "How-how do I know you're my sister's child?" I reached for the locket in my pouch and showed her. She sobbed. "Sweet Goddess. I've sent a message to the King's garrison. Mother's gone mad. I just don't know what else to do. Come. Come with me, it's not safe here at night." The house she took me to was large and a good length from town. She took me straight to the kitchen and got me fed. "All of our servants live in the town," she said, "and leave at night. Mother always insisted." While I ate, I told her what happened and she started to cry. "I didn't know, "she moaned. "Until today I didn't know. Mother's gone mad. She's trying to kill the Duke." I was on my feet in a moment, demanding to know where. She did not know. I asked if she could get help for the men I left, and she said no one from the town would dare to go, they were all afraid of her mother, but one trusted man had gone for the King's garrison.

I left, to her shouted dismay. I took Epona to the woods behind the house and played the Song of Earth. I expected to feel a tug, or see an arrow. I did not expect to see a fairy appear. It whispered to me, and I followed it to a cave. There were six Dinofoes. One had a key. There were Bubbles, mostly, thank the goddesses, weak. Then the fairy told me it dared go no further, healed me, and was gone. I slid in and hid under a table. I could see a cage in the corner, and I could see an erect, gray-haired woman working over something. Then I heard my uncle's voice, and knew he was in the cage. The relief was so great it was almost painful. He was alive.

The Duke watched the witch work over her trough, and finally asked, "I was bringing the boy to see you. Why send men after him?" She said nothing and did not even look over at him. She had brought a man to deal with his needs, bind him, and lock him back in the cage. Finally she seemed to be satisfied with what she had, and came over to look at him. "Duke Stefan of Lawrence," she sneered. "At least this makes my plans a little easier, but I wanted my grandson first. Those fools. Ineffective, like your family. Your wild brother took my delicate daughter away and none of you did anything to stop him. Now you think to take the Link lands by keeping the boy. I will not have that." The Duke reflected, in his shock, that her voice was like Link's, deep and husky. In Link, the voice grated. Hers did not. "Instead I will have yours, through the boy. For a start. I have power, and I will have more. I sent the Dinofoe after your children. It was a test. I sent no more. I need the boy alive."

"He went over the cliff. No one could have survived that. "

"I would know. He is alive. Hurt, perhaps, but alive. I have keyed my creation to him, you see. To any male relative with my blood, and he is the only one. I know enough that he would not see the need for my plans. This one," she indicated the trough, "will be my puppet, and the real one will be my key to full power. He has power locked within him. That power will call a dark lord, who will reward me at his release. By that time I will have my grandson under my control. Not that you will know, or care. For now, regret, my lord Duke. Regret that you did not marry my daughter and have this child instead of your brother." She walked away, into the recesses of the cavern.

"Uncle!" He looked up to see Link, putting a key into the lock and opening the door. "Quickly, while she's gone, we have to hurry before she wakes that thing. Here," Link was slicing at the bonds with his eating dagger.

"Link, get help. Go. Hurry. She has creatures that guard the entrance." Link was helping him stand.

"My aunt sent for help. I took care of the creatures. If I don't get you out she'll kill you. Come." He urged his uncle out, almost carrying him, but they had not taken two steps before they heard the chanting. Something was stirring in the trough. Link shoved his uncle back into the cell and threw him the key and the knife, and turned. The Duke looked past his nephew and saw the thing almost formed with a sword and shield. Link put his sword and shield on his back, and from somewhere pulled his bow and quiver of arrows. He moved away from the cage as laughter rang out in the cavern.

"So, he did bring you here. I hoped so. Hello, Link Lawrence. I am your grandmother, Lady Beatrice Link. Put down your toys. You have no chance of defeating me. You'll only get hurt." Link said nothing. "Don't be a fool." The copy had become fully formed and solid. Link waited. A chanting began, and it moved toward him. He drew, fired, hit, and repeated until his quiver was empty. The copy stopped when hit and withdrew the arrow, becoming ragged. With the last arrow, Link dropped the useless bow and drew his sword and shield. The copy stopped, and the ragged edges closed. Link had not missed the copy once. The chanting stopped as Lady Link caught her breath. Link attacked, getting in two blows before she began again. At the moment the chanting started, his blows were copied. He jumped back, circling constantly, trying to push it back. It would not let him come near the witch. When she stopped again, he reached into his pouch and threw something that exploded, then attacked, getting in blows while she coughed. Then she began again, and again the blows were copied. The copy was getting only one or two blows to Link's several. Link repeated the throws several times. Then he used only the sword. The Duke saw the trap. If Link attacked with the sword while the chant went on, he took the blows he was giving. If Link attacked with any other weapon, the damage was to the puppet alone, but Link had exhausted his distance attacks. Link was faster, and it could not close against him. The fight went on and on. Link was taking a pounding, but the chant was slowing as well, and the puppet was healing more slowly. The Duke wanted to unlock the door and go after the witch, but he was too weak to do much more than stand. It was becoming a contest of who would grind down first.

Then she stopped again, and Link moved. He slammed his sword across the copy's shield arm, exposing the sword arm, and swung, just as the chanting began again and the copy moved. The Duke heard the crack of both swords connecting, and Link stumbled back. The chant stopped again. The copy was standing, both arms down, shield and sword on the ground. Link had his shield. His sword was on the ground and his arm dangled, useless. The sudden quiet echoed for a time as the combatant's eyes locked, blue and brown, boy and grandmother, hero and witch. The Duke forced himself to put the key in the lock and try to open the cage. He had just gotten it open when he heard Link say, "Don't make me kill you."

He stared. He could only see Link's back. Link and the copy were in the middle of the cavern, with Beatrice on the other side opposite the Duke. He had trouble believing his ears. Link was helpless now. He had no weapons left, he had endured a pounding that would have had most men on their knees, his arm was broken and he had to be in terrible pain. He was facing a witch whose puppet was only feet from him, and would heal when the chanting began again.

"I have no intention of killing you, " the witch said, misunderstanding. "I have a healing potion which will keep you from dying and take care of the worst hurts. I cannot allow you to fight me further, however, so you will be weak." There was a grudging admiration in her voice. "You have my strength, if wasted on foolishness. You are truly my get, unlike my silly daughters. Stay still and don't give me more trouble. If you do, I'll make you watch while it kills him." Link did not reply. He stepped back. She began the chant again, and the puppet healed, and then went to pick up its sword. At that moment, Link shouted, and struck the ground with his shield fist. The cavern lit up with fire exploding around Link. The Duke turned his head and closed his eyes. When he could see again, there were three bodies on the floor, and a terrible smell of cooked meat. He got the door open and made it to Link, who was in a clear area that was not charred. The boy was breathing in shallow gasps. Now that he was close, the Duke could see the small cuts on his arms and legs and back, where the sword blows had landed, and a larger one on Link's head, bleeding into his hair and down his back. He could see where the sword arm was broken, bending at the middle of the forearm. "Which one is the healing potion?" he asked Link, not expecting a response.

"Red," Link whispered. The Duke searched and brought it to the battered boy, lifted him and fed it to him slowly. The cuts stopped bleeding. He saw the bones in the forearm straighten and firm. Link's breathing became steadier. He put Link down to let the potion work further and looked at the copy. It lay burnt and still. He went over to Beatrice. She was untouched, but not breathing. By this time the spell was wearing off and he was strong again. He picked Link up and carried him out.

The party from the King's garrison found them. They looked with horror at Link, who was covered with dirt and blood, and got them to the town. They had already found and brought the duke's men, and a party was scouring the area searching for the rest of the outlaw band. The Duke saw Link given over to a healer, with one of his lightly wounded men guarding, and took the commander to the cavern himself. A messenger went to the King within the hour with the grim news. The commander looked at the dead bodies of the Dinofoes and the ashes that were the Bubbles, and looked at the burnt remnant of the copy, and said," Your nephew, that boy, he did all of this? Alone?" The duke confirmed Link had. "She cast some kind of spell that weakened me, and left me in that." He pointed to the cage. The commander looked Lady Link over. He nodded to himself and sent his men to take away the body and set a guard.When they returned, the commander interviewed Elaine Link, and placed her under house arrest as a precaution. The healer reported that Link was as comfortable as he could make him. There was a undercurrent of rage underneath his professional coolness. "The healing potion stopped the bleeding and healed a broken arm and likely cracked ribs. It did not completely heal the cuts, and there was something else in it, something to daze. Your Grace, he had to have it, because without it that child would have died, but that potion was designed to get someone under control."

"How injured is he?"

"He's got bruises, some bone-deep, where the cuts are. His back, sword arm, and legs are going to be black within a few days. The cut on his head was shallow. He's dazed, and I think he's under a coercion spell. "The healer stopped and took a breath. "Sir, Your Grace, what I am trying to say is that this looks deliberate, as if the boy was beaten to force him to take the potion."

"That fits," the commander said thoughtfully. "He'll live?"

"Barring complications, yes."

"Can we speak to him?"

"If he isn't asleep. If he is, it can wait. He needs all the relief he can get. With that head wound, I don't dare give him anything strong for pain." The healer stalked into the room. Link looked terribly young and vulnerable, lying propped on pillows, his eyes closed. "Lad?" the healer said softly. Link stirred and turned to look at them, his eyes remote. The Duke walked over to him and brushed his hair out of his eyes. The healer left.They found chairs, and the Duke asked Link what happened after he fell off the edge of the path. Link told them, his voice not more than a whisper most of the time, about being caught on the tree, getting to the road, finding the men, and finding his aunt. When the commander would have asked questions, the duke stopped him, raising a hand as Link continued about playing the Song of Earth the Bard had taught him and the fairy appearing, fighting the creatures and being healed by the fairy before it fled, about finding his uncle alive and the conversation between the witch and his uncle, about trying to get his uncle out, and the double forming.

"And?" the commander said. The Duke jumped. Link started again, his voice a thread. He told about fighting the copy and trying to get past it to the witch. "I hoped, if I could get the weapons down when she stopped, I could stop her, but she was too fast. It broke my arm. All I had left was Din's Fire. I knew it would kill her. I could not let her kill him. I could not let her have me. If the dark lord has the holder of the Triforce of Courage, he need look no further. She was the center for the darkness, the center for the greed and madness. I had to stop her. I had to stop her." The agony he had endured came through in dry recital.

"Link, enough," the duke said softly. "Sleep now, with no dreams." Link closed his eyes and turned his head away, and his breathing became regular. They got up and left, the Duke summoning the guard. They went to the room the commander had taken for an office and sat.

After a moment the commander said, in a even voice, "I'm going to hear that voice in my nightmares. The boy is the Hero of Time in the stories?" The Duke nodded.

"We came to make a first visit. He'd never met her. " The commander got up and sent for wine. The Duke felt the long, painful hours weigh on him.

"Poor boy. This goes far beyond my authority, your Grace. I can only make my report and send all of you to the capitol to have the matter heard. A formality, of course, as there is no question that there was dark magic being practiced and not only murder, but treason planned. It will be arranged when the healer says your nephew can be moved. " The duke nodded, stood, and left. He stopped to see Link again before seeking his bed. The guard told the Duke that no one but the healer had been by. He added that they had sent Link to the town to get help, thinking they were sending him to safety, never dreaming the boy would try to find the Duke on his own. The Duke assured him that there was no blame to his men, and went to bed.

_Link speaks_

They took me back to the castle in a carriage with all the padding they could find on it. It did not matter. Nothing mattered. I existed, always in pain and with the fight in the cavern running through my mind again and again. It ran though my dreams, and I would wake, arched and sweating in my bed, frightening my attendants. I could not speak of it. I did not speak at all. If I could not answer by nodding or shaking my head, I would not answer. They put me back in the same room in my uncle's suite I had before. The healer swore when she looked over me. I did not even try to listen. When she got my attention, I did as she said. Then the Princess came to see me. I heard the healer and my aunt talking to someone, and the door. When she spoke, I looked over and tried to stand. She waved me down and sat by me. "Tell me," she said. I shook my head, as before. "Link. There is a danger to Hyrule here. I have to know what it is. Tell me."

I felt the power in her voice, and for the first time, I was able to talk. It hurt. It hurt worse than the beating I endured from the copy, and at one point I broke down and wept, unable to stop myself. She got me water when I faltered, and wiped my face when I stopped weeping, and she listened. Then she spoke, and the words she said came from someone besides herself and reached into me, stopping the cycle of pain and soothing the agony inside me. "There is no blame here, Link, Hero of Time. You were given the power from the Goddesses to defend Hyrule. The one you struck was evil, and in her evil she would have destroyed everything in her path. "Then she said, "What else could you have done, Link? She gave you no choice. Even when you warned her, she gave you no choice." I fell asleep. When I woke, I was hungry. Ian came in, looking fearful, and tried to climb on the bed. I reached an arm, and he almost pulled me out. I hadn't realized I was so weak. "Link?" Anna came in and stood by the door. "Ian, Mother told you to leave Link alone!" I managed to push myself up, and saw I was wearing only a nightshirt in full daylight. The sleeve fell back, and Anna came over to look at the bruises. " Ouch!" she said. "Did you get beaten up, Link? "

By that time the healer and my aunt had come to the door. I looked up. "Can I get something to eat?"

"Not much," she said firmly. "Broth and sops. If you keep that down, we'll see." She left. My aunt said, "Don't tire Link out, children, come along." Ian hunkered down by me, starting to pout.

"It's all right," I said, tickling under his chin, and he giggled. Anna sat on the bed and started to tell me about everything that had happened since I left.

The King settled the matter quickly. Neither Link, the Duke, nor Elaine Link was guilty of any crime. Beatrice Link was dabbling in dark arts, and she was plotting murder and treason by her own statement. Elaine Link wanted to see Link, and she wanted the matter of the Link inheritance settled. The Duke agreed to try to work with her.

Then the earth shook. It shook for several seconds. "Magic," the Princess said, feeling the tingle. Reports came in immediately. There was no major damage to the Castle, although there was breakage. As the day went on, more reports came in. Russo was consulted and reported that there was a magic component but he did not know what it was. Link was anxious about his friends, to the point the Duke sent a messenger to Lon Lon Ranch. He returned with the news that the ranch had not suffered major damage and that Epona had shown up on her own. A quart of milk was sent with the message. Malon had not heard anything about the Lost Woods and would send word when she did. Link got dressed and began moving around slowly, under the healer's sharp eye.

Elaine Link came to see her nephew and listen to his painful and carefully edited account of what had happened to her mother. "She was mad," the plain version of Bethany Link said simply. "She wanted to have someone in the family in the nobility and to control people. When Bethany ruined her plans, she became bitter. No one can blame you, Link. I'm sorry she hurt you so badly." She cocked her head. "You look a great deal like your mother."

"Can you tell me about her?" he asked. She talked. Link settled onto a comfortable spot on the garden bench and listened. Some time later he woke up when Ian jumped on his lap. His aunt was still talking, not having noticed that Link had gone to sleep on her. The healer came out and firmly said that Link needed to rest now, and that matters to do with the land had better be discussed with the duke or duchess. When the duke asked what they had discussed, Link remembered talking about the death of his grandmother, and nothing else. "I went to sleep," he said sheepishly.

"Smart move," his uncle said, and was kicked under the table by the duchess. Sir Wills came by the next day, and persuaded the healer to let Link resume lessons as a way to move around a little. Within another week he was back at sword practice. After some persuasion, the duke allowed Link to go out with an escort to the Ranch to see Epona and be scolded by Malon. He managed to slip off to the Lost Woods as well, when the escort was talking to the blacksmith and discussing horses. Saria told him that some of the children were injured but no one was killed. She took him to the Great Deku Tree.

Beatrice Link was not alone, the Great Deku Tree told Link. Someone was working with her. Because she did not know what Link was, it did not either. Link had struck it a hard blow, but now it would know to be alert. "Not good," Link told it and Saria. "My family is watching for me now. I only dare to go for healing today, after I speak to you. I was badly hurt, and they have been very protective. My uncle in particular is suspicious of my coming here. If he had sent one of the men we had with us then with me, I could not have come at all. He is family. He can stop me from acting."

"But if it is needed for Hyrule..." Saria protested.

"Only if needed for Hyrule, and how do I prove that to him?" Link asked.

_You must speak to the Princess,_ the Great Deku Tree said. _She will find a way. See the Great Fairy, Link, and then speak with the Princess on this._

Link got back to the ranch and back to the Castle early, where the escort went about his business and Link was not expected back yet. He went to the Great Fairy, who healed him and boosted his magic.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

_Link speaks_

When the Great Deku Tree told me I needed to speak with the princess, I thought that I would have a problem. Like the King and my uncle, she had been involved in dealing with the earthquake results. I was wrong. We were to go to court that night. Since I had to report to the healer, my aunt, and my uncle, I had to scramble to get washed and dressed in time, even though I had come back earlier that I normally did. The Princess beckoned me to her as soon as she could. I told her about seeing the Great Deku Tree and the Great Fairy, and their concerns. I told her mine. "Think about it, Link," she advised. "These are grown men who had to watch a boy they see as their charge get beaten to a bloody pulp. Your uncle said you would have died without that healing potion, and I was worried about your sanity for a time. You healed after you rescued me."

"That's different," I said. "Whenever I defeat the major monster in a temple, the cleansing itself heals me."

"And they don't like to deal with fairies and such. They don't want to believe in witches unless it is undeniable. They want to believe that everything can be explained. They don't want to believe that what you can do can't be done by an adult. "

"Well, someone has to look into this business with the earthquakes, and somehow I doubt that your father will want to deal with the fairies even if he could find someone who could deal with them. "

"What we have to do is get you the authority, but how? Wait a moment." She thought. "Father still wants to find a way to honor you. He owes you again because you and your uncle uncovered the problem before it got big, and did it quietly. You still have lessons, right? Ask Sir Wills about the Hylian Knights. I'll do some research in the archives. Maybe we can use it." I agreed. We did research, and she made a suggestion to her father, and I agreed when my uncle spoke to me about it. I tried to get out of it being public, but got nowhere, and the Princess assured me that it was essential to the plan working. My aunts were delighted and both of them made me go to a tailor. My uncle went over the ceremony with me, so I would know what to do. Anna, who discovered that there would be a ball, took me to the garden and drilled me in how to dance. She had been teaching me for weeks, since I had met her, but now she was determined that I would know how to do it right. For the first time I had a reason to pay attention. My Aunt Elaine found us practicing and helped.

On a golden autumn day, at the Harvest Festival, my uncle sponsored me and the Princess knighted me. The King declared that I was now a Hylian Knight. I made vows to protect the Princess and serve Hyrule in times of great and special need. She was supposed to give me a ritual tap, but she delivered a stinging blow to my ear instead, and I felt blood trickle down my neck. Then she laid the sword in my hands, and my ear healed, and I felt a great thrumming go through me. Both of my aunts bawled, my uncle's and Sir Wills' eyes got moist, and the king beamed. There was a huge crowd there who decided it was great entertainment and cheered their brains out. I saw all kinds of people there, Gorons, Zoras, Garudos, some delegations from Termina, Holodrum and Labrynna and of course the usual harvest festival crowd. I got a lot of complements on my outfit. It was white, with a lot of gold decoration, but I had to admit it was very comfortable. I was a model of good behavior afterward, too. I led the ball with the Princess, and let my aunts pick the girls I could dance with, and I did not step on anyone's toes.

We went over those vows very carefully, as I am willing to bet my ears my uncle and the King did too. They bound me to the Princess in times of need, such times being at the judgment of the Princess and the knight. I had no specific duties to the king. I was to all legal intents an adult. However, my uncle and the king saw it as a way to give me an honor with a lot of show and no meaning. That meant that for a day, anyway, everybody was happy. Even better, I was to go to my Aunt Elaine's for a real visit, without my uncle, aunt or cousins. She wanted me to get to know the people and lands I was going to inherit. This would give me a chance to get out and find out what else was going on. Aunt Elaine was a lot easier to distract than my uncle.

So we started to pack. My aunt came in to see me packing, and sent me out of the suite with instructions to come back by sunset. I asked where I was supposed to go, and she said to go anywhere, just get out! I bolted for the Lost Woods. I had my new sword with me, and that was a good thing, because they were under attack. I had to fight Wolfos, Deku scrubs, Keese, and finally a Forest Scourge. It had tentacles that looked like bark and which was tearing up the Great Deku Tree. I discovered that my new sword was longer, did more damage, and made me stronger. Even with that, I had to use Naryu's Love twice to keep the thing from peeling my skin off, and when I finally killed it, the sword healed me, but I was tired. The Great Deku Tree awarded me with a seed, which it called a token, and told me I would have to reenter the cavern where I had fought my double. From there I would be told how to proceed. I got back to the Castle and hid in the garden to rest. The Princess found me there, and I told her what happened. We agreed that I would stay with my aunt as long as I could, and then I would proceed as needed and she would do her best to explain to her father and my uncle. We did not like it, but by now we both knew that their response to a report of what happened today would be to lock me in a room and hide the key. While I had a plan to deal with that, it would only work once.

So I went to my Aunt Elaine's and she took me over the countryside meeting her tenants and learning the area for about three days. Then she had estate business to deal with, and left me to move around on my own for a while. I headed for the cavern. The Dinofoes and Bubbles were gone until I got to the large cavern, but there was a great deal more to that cave. I penetrated further to fight Iron Knuckles, bats, Stalfoes, Skullwalltula, and a Floormaster. At the end, I fought a Earth Scourge, which was built like a rock. Thank the Goddesses I had a good supply of Deku Nuts. I used them and the hookshot to dislodge rocks from the ceiling to pin it down so I could slam at its neck, its only weak spot. I got the Crystal of Healing when I released the Earth Elemental . I found myself transported to the center of a room with seven columns. The columns were cracked. Below me I heard a woman's voice, deep and sweet and strong.

_I am the Earth Mother. This is my temple. Until recently, I was content to leave the world governance to my daughters and their daughters. However, I am under attack by their father, the dark lord, who is goaded by his mad high priest. I must be healed, or the land my daughters created will fall. You must seek the six tokens of healing, Hero. You have two. Place the Seed of Healing from the Great Deku Tree on one of the columns and the Crystal of Healing in another. _

I did. The seek sprouted and twined vines around the column. I took the crystal to another, and it shone, healing the column so that it was solid and straight.

_Very good. You hold another, the Sword of Strength. For now you need it. It will be the last you will provide. In order to defeat my dark lord and his mad priest, you must heal all of the columns in my temple. Then you will heal me. I will seek help for you. Otherwise, I will fall and Hyrule will split asunder, and the rest of the earth will be imperiled as well.. You will help my daughters' daughters and their children as well, in your quest. _

Then I was back in front of the cavern, worn out but at least in one piece. I went back and got a bath before my aunt saw me covered with dirt and with torn and bloody clothes. At dinner she asked how my day had been and I told her I had gotten to a place I didn't know my way and got tired coming back. She nodded, and that night she tried to tell me about the business. I couldn't stay awake.

Accompanying her to the market the next day, after sending the Princess a letter, I heard that there had been a earthquake in Lake Hyrule. I got as much information as I could, and that afternoon I left for the land of the Zoras. I just told her I would be in later, all right? She was distracted and murmured yes, and I left. I found some Ice Arrows on the way, which was a good thing as I had to first rescue Princess Ruto (for the third time, not that she remembered the second) from a lake of poison frogs and snapping turtles the size of my uncle. She gave me the Iron Boots and Water Tunic in gratitude, in addition to a metal fan to remember her by. I got to the Great Fairy, who needed rescuing, then healed me and gave me more magic. I was then able to get past the electric fish, the mini-sharks, and Baby Morphas, and to confront the Water Scourge. It took almost every single one of my arrows to do that, too. I released the Water Elemental, got the Water of Living, got it to the Temple of Earth, and saw the column become a fountain. I iscovered I could ask to be transported to any cavern I wanted, and got back to my aunt's house. I undressed and fell into bed, leaving my clothes on the floor.

I've heard time passes when you're having fun. I didn't realize it could pass that fast when you're beating the daylights out of monsters too, because I misjudged how long I had been gone. I was gone not one evening, but a solid day. My aunt was massively upset. I set up my escape route with Farore's Wind just in time, because she kept me right by her that day and that night she locked me in my room. It's a good thing she didn't lock her storage rooms. I did leave a note on my bed. The next morning I sent the second letter to the Princess. I included the fan, asking her to give it to Lady Spoilt.

Elaine Link was more than upset; she was worried over Link's behavior. At first he was obedient. Then he was gone all day, and tired out when he returned. The next day he left in the afternoon, saying only that he would be back later. She had been too busy to firm up a time, and he was gone for an entire day! When she found him in his room, sleeping solidly, she found his clothes on the floor. The first set of clothes had been filthy and bloody. The second set was just as bad, and were damp as well. The blue tunic was odd. She decided that she needed some answers, and kept Link with her all day, trying to prod for answers, and got nowhere. She locked him into his room that night. The next day she unlocked the room, feeling guilty, and he was gone, and most of his gear was gone except his fancier clothes. There was a note. She picked it up and read,

"_I'm sorry, aunt, but the earthquakes are getting worse, and I have to stop them. My grandmother was involved with them and I have to correct what she started. Don't let anyone go into the cavern , it is like the Lost Woods now. I took some supplies, I hope you don't mind. I will be in touch when I can. I didn't want to leave, but I have to. Link. "_

_The messenger went out that day with her bewildered, tearful note, and reached the Duke in record time. He swore long and hard when he got it, and showed it to his wife, who wavered between cursing and weeping. "Who does he think he is?" the Duke fumed. The Duchess agreed at first, then paused. _

"Stefan, those vows he made. To serve Hyrule in times of great and special need. Remember?"

"What? But those were just formalities."

"To Link? Didn't he say once that he was following a family tradition without knowing it as the Hero of Time? And didn't he and the Princess research those vows? Why else would Link go through that ceremony, when he hates being noticed as much as he does? " Just then the earth shook. It was a slight tremor, but they had been coming with some frequency. The Duchess looked at the note again, and bit her lip, remembering how Link would sometimes gaze into space and then shake himself. Remembering the stories Anna repeated, when Link told her of the Hero of Time, not telling her that he was the Hero in the stories. She remembered that he had defended the children from the attacking creature without a second thought. "Stefan, Link took those vows at face value, and in his eyes, he is doing what he must, what he swore to do." She blinked tears back.

"I'll go to Hyrule Castle and see if the King is aware of what he's doing. Or the Princess. If he has no official sanction, I'm going to send men out to find him and bring him home. If he can convince me, I'll decide from there. Before he gets himself killed!"

He sent a message that night to the King, and left himself the next morning. When he arrived, the King saw him immediately, with Princess Zelda. He had a letter, and the Duke recognized Link's penmanship. It was clear from the letter that Link had acted as soon as he had been knighted, using the sword he had been given to protect the Kokeri. His eyes widened as he read what the sword could do, and Link's brief account of what he had done and what he had been shown. He felt sick. Link knew his uncle and the King well enough to include his regards through the Princess, and his apologies to his aunt and uncle. Matilda was right, he thought. Link and Zelda planned this as soon as they knew what was going on. "I'm going to skin that boy if he survives this," he muttered.

"And it did not occur to either of you to confide in the older and wiser members of your families that this was happening?" the King snapped at his daughter. "No, of course not. You know better than we do. Never considering that perhaps at least some assistance could be offered. Or some kind of guidance."

She bowed her head, then looked up. "And have you any word on the causes of the problem, Father?" He said nothing, frowning in serious disapproval at her.

"I want him found," the Duke said. "I want him found, and this situation put under control. There has to be more we can do than to leave him on his own. Winter's coming." The King agreed. He sent Zelda to her room, with instructions to Impa that any letters were to be brought to his attention immediately. He and the Duke decided on the parties to be sent out. They sent one that day to speak to the owners of the Lon Lon ranch. They found that Link's horse had jumped the fence some time ago and not come back. The folk there had not seen him. One went to Woldshold, only to find that Link was right about the cavern; the men that tried to go into it came out with no memory and refused to go back in. One went to the Zoras, who could not praise Link enough and were grateful to the Hylians for their hero. They also passed on information, on Link's absentminded request, about the pirates in Lake Hyrule. The King acted on that information immediately. The Duke went back home, with the agreement that any information regarding Link would be shared. The Duke took the trouble of giving Lady Spoilt the fan. She was startled into asking how the Duke got it. The Duke told her it was a gift from Link.

_Link speaks_

I went to see the Bard in Aunt Matilda's lands, hoping for information. I was wearing my new Kokeri outfit, and looked different enough that I could get into the town and find out that my uncle was looking for me. I had to leave Epona outside the town, in a field I knew belonged to Aunt Matilda. Basically, everyone was being asked to give assistance to the Hero of Time should he appear, and report his appearance at once. I was at something of a loss on how to reach Wren until I heard harp music from the woods near Sir Grumbley 's house. As a precaution, I set Farore's Wind, thanking the Goddesses that I could use it outside a temple now and carefully approached.

"It's all right, boy," I heard him say. "Come closer." I stepped up beside him. "Sit. In that outfit you're hard to see unless you're up close, here in the trees." I sat, grateful to be able to, and he said softly, "Tell me what happened." I told him everything. "You've done well. I've encountered the one you're fighting. He and your grandmother, it seemed, were working together, but he is devoted to his dark god, and she was devoted to her own greed. I did not know what the witch was to you, Link. Please believe that. " I nodded. "They knew that the witch's grandson had power. They intended to use it to strengthen their power and release the god. They did not know that the grandson was the Hero of Time. If they had, they would have overwhelmed you. As it is, the mad priest is very dangerous, but he has lost power rather than gained it. You must heal the Goddess before he regains what he has lost. To do this, you must find and release the Elementals. The closest one is the Elemental of Air, high in the mountains, in the place where all is mist. First you must find have assistance. This is the Song of the Wind. Learn it. "He played a soaring song. I played with him, softly. "You must come at the Wind Scourge from above and destroy that which gives him strength. The Song of Earth will help you find the Cavern of Air. You will find other grandchildren of the goddesses on your way. They will help you. Use these as well." He gave me a set of arrows. "Now use your spell. And be careful."

I did as he said, warping back, and went to find Epona. As soon as I felt we were outside my Aunt's lands, I stopped and played the Song of Earth. Another fairy appeared, and led me towards the mountains, where winter was setting in. There were folk living on the mountain, who told me of earthshakes there and found me a flimsy cloak and leggings for the cold. I found the Great Fairy's grotto by finding a Freezard who had put it to ice. The arrows the Bard gave me were Fire Arrows, and they took care of the cranky beast. The Great Fairy thanked me by telling me the cloak I had been given would allow me to float but not fly, and increasing my magic. The fairy led me further up the mountain, and I was forced to let Epona go. I found the Cavern of Air was in the clouds. Fortunately, I also found a set of hover boots after fighting off a bunch of Wolfos and Ice Bats. When I came across a eagle in a cage, I set it free and played the Song of Wind. He spoke to me, agreeing to come if I called him again, and flew. I fought more Freezards and found a silvery powder in a small chest. Then I discovered the Wind Scourge- a raging vortex. There was no way to fight him. I was thrown off the edge of the Cavern when I tried, and barely managed to play for the eagle's assistance. He snatched me and took me above the vortex. I fumbled and dropped the chest of powder , spilling its contents into the clouds and to my shock and that of the eagle, the raging tunnel of wind died. He released me to find the Air Elemental, who gave me a bottle containing the Winds of Soothing. I was sent to the Earth temple and placed the bottle by one of the columns, which became a vortex over the column, supporting it. I asked the Earth Goddess how I would heal her, and she said she could not tell me now; she would tell me when the time came, and sent me to the Goron Kingdom, which had just been struck by a bad earthquake, upsetting the volcano. I stopped on the way to get a letter to the Princess, telling her what had happened so far.

The Goron King, who remembered me, was evacuating the village and was leaving a huge stack of bombs. He gave me the Goron Tunic, and I found a place to blow the bombs so that the lava was diverted away from the village. I freed the Great Fairy's cave as I did so. She gave me Ice Arrows and healed me. She also sent a fairy to guide me to the Cavern of Fire. That one was the worst yet, with Fire Slugs, two Flare Dancers, and Like Likes before I got to the Fire Scourge. Goddess, he was tough. The Goron Tunic protected me but by the time I was finished I was covered in soot and I felt baked. I delivered the Fires of Cleansing to the Column, and forgot to reset the warp. It set me right outside the Fire Cavern, with half the mountain to climb down. It was terribly hot even with the Goron Tunic, and I drank all my water before I got halfway down. I felt dirty, thirsty, roasted and was barely managing to put one foot in front of another when I got to the bottom of Death Mountain and into the Goron Village. I stopped to rest against a big rock, wondering how much I had in the way of supplies. I knew I could get water from them, but Gorons eat rocks.

In that bright red tunic against the gray rock, I must have stood like the lava river going down the mountain. There were five of them. One came from the front, and when I pushed myself straight, two came from around the rock, close enough to stop me if I moved. I recognized all of them as my uncle's men, who were on the trip to Woldshold, and all convinced I was the bravest idiotic boy in Hyrule, getting myself beaten to a pulp trying to rescue my uncle instead of being sensible and getting some grown, experienced men to do the job. That I had succeeded in rescuing my uncle before he was killed was pure luck. I know they thought that way because one, Michael, had given me a lecture about it when we returned to Hyrule and I was recovered enough to start back to sword practice, and from the looks on their faces they thought the same thing now. Michael took out his canteen and handed it to me. They waited patiently while I got the water in me, not hurrying, knowing if I drank too fast I would be sick. Then they got me to the place the Gorons gave them to wait for me. Despite my assurance, by this time irritated, that I was tired, nothing more, and could take care of myself, they insisted on checking me for injuries, bathing me, and otherwise treating me much as the nursemaid treated Ian. This treatment included making sure they took everything away from me and put it out of reach. As this included both the Goron tunic and the Sword of Strength, I started feeling sick and ached, and I was slightly red all over. They gave me a tunic they brought with them, fed me some kind of tepid soup, and put me to bed. As I fell asleep, I reflected that at least I would have one night where I could sleep without worry. I remember waking twice. The first time I was sweating slightly all over, and no longer feeling sick. The man on watch brought me a drink and a wet cloth to wipe my face. "Fever broke," he said. "You'll feel better now, young sir."

The second time I woke, the watch didn't see me. I stayed still. I was surrounded by sleeping men, and I took the time to think. My thoughts were not good company. I had one more Great Fairy to release, and I felt the need to speak to the Bard again. Then I would have to defeat the mad priest of the dark god, put the Sword of Strength against the last column, and somehow heal the Earth Goddess. I still did not know how I would heal her, and if I did not--the river of melted rock would become a raging torrent, the waters of Lake Hyrule would become a whirlpool, the vortex of the Wind Scourge would engulf the mountains, the forest would darken and reach out to smother everything in reach, and Hyrule Castle would collapse under a wrenched, broken land. I remembered, suddenly, my grandmother. I remembered she said I held power locked within me, that she would use to call a dark lord who would reward her. She had said I had her strength just before I threw the spell at the copy and at her. I thought she meant Ganon and the Triforce, but the Bard said that she was the partner to the mad priest. Now that I knew that the powers we were dealing with were older, I understood that she meant the dark god.

In the near future, I had to get out of the clutches of my well-meaning, infuriating uncle's men and get to that last Great Fairy and to the Bard. While one night spent in the safety of their care had done me good, I had no doubt that they fully intended to get me to my uncle by whatever means was needed. They made that clear as soon as I got up. They provided food, clothes, and made certain I could not get near any of my gear. The clothes were the useless material I hated, and they were a ice blue bright enough to be seen from a mile away. They made me feel, and look, younger than I am. Michael informed me my aunt had sent them, and turned his head to hide his grin at the look on my face. But that part of the problem was dealt with for me. King Darunia sent for me. I told Michael that the red tunic was a gift from the King, and that I needed it to get close enough to the mountain show him what I had done. With a Goron looking on, nodding and agreeing, he had to concede. The Goron told me that the King would want a song as well, and I took my pouch. Michael looked sour. He tried to follow and was forced to give up long before we got to the lava flow. I showed the King how I had used the Bombs, and he was delighted, saying that this was the best kind of rock for eating when it cooled. His son, who was Ian's age and had Ian's restless energy, wanted to see my sword and shield and hear about my defeating King Dodongo. I will long treasure the look on those soldier's faces when they found out that the rock-child, as Michael put it, was named after me. I played for the King, who loved to dance, and then told him I had to go on. Having gotten to the end of his patience, Michael told the King that I was a child and too young to be on my own and getting in dangerous situations like this, and that my uncle, the Duke of Lawrence, wanted me to come home, that I was needed there.

King Darunia studied him a moment. "So I thought when he came here three years ago," he rumbled, " but the child defeated what a Goron could not." Michael cast a startled look at me. "And was he not knighted just these few months ago?"

"Yes, your Majesty, but-" A growl from the Gorons silenced him.

"And was not his uncle the Duke there? Did he not approve?"

"Your Majesty-" This time he stopped. He had no answer.

"And were not the vows he made to serve Hyrule in great and special need? We are in such need."

Michael was silenced for only a moment. "He needs guidance. He is only a child. He could be killed; he was ill last night from the mountain."

"So do we all risk when we take up the fight for our people. He is Goddess-touched. And your Duke and your King have given him the right and the task he carries now. If they did not know what they did, perhaps the Goddess meant for it to be so. I would not want my son so touched." He put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Do as you need, Sir Link." Michael flinched at the title. I went to the building and wrote two messages, one a report to the Princess, and one a letter to my uncle. Then I picked up my gear and supplies.

When I turned to leave, one of the men, the one who tended me when my fever broke, was standing in the door. I gave him the letters. "The Duke worries," he said.

It hit me like a blow, those simple words. I looked at him, and said," I know. If I could go with you, I would." He nodded and stepped aside. Behind me he said quietly, "Michael can be a fool."

"So can we all," I said without turning, and went to the King. "Hold them a day," I requested.

"I can," he said, "but no more." I nodded and left. I knew once I got into the forest or the fields, they would not find me.

The men went straight to the Duke, then at his lands, with the messages and the report of their failure. He dismissed Michael without comment, but one of the other men requested to see him privately, and he told the Duke what Link had said. The duke nodded, then took the letter to his office to read. His wife found him staring at it, read it over his shoulder and fled the room weeping. After a time he found her and told her he was going to Hyrule Castle to deliver the Princess's letter in person. He arrived without warning and sent the letter and a request to see the Princess. She received him that evening, and he gave her the letter without any comment. It read:

"'_My dear uncle,_

_Your searchers found me today but I cannot go with them. I am sending this letter instead._

_I know that you look at me and see a wild boy who needs to be brought under control. I know you had to watch while I battled, and had to watch me heal, and that you do not want to see me hurt again. You have offered me a home and a family, and I seem ungrateful._

_I am not. I saw what you and His Majesty wanted me to see, that there is an easier life and that I am young to have to carry the weight of following this task. When I look forward to fighting this power-mad, insane priest and his dark god, I wish that I could be normal. I wish that there was someone else who could do this work. There is no one else. I was given this task by the goddesses. To me have they given the magic, the strength, and the courage to face these monsters, and I cannot turn away, no matter the price I pay. _

_I miss the children. I miss your guidance and being able to ask you questions I could never ask anyone else. I miss aunt Matilda and the ladies fussing at me to eat enough and making sure I'm all right. I almost miss Aunt Elaine chattering me to sleep. But if I do not pick up this test, I condemn all of you and Hyrule as well. _

_Please understand. _

_Link'"_

"He thinks he's going to die," the Duke said. "He's only a boy.." and choked.

Her voice was distant and iron. "He could have died when he picked up an iron rod against a monster to protect your children. When he did that, he had no magic, no weapons, nothing but his skills and his courage. " The sun shone in the window she was looking out of as she said it. When she turned it framed her.

She paced up to him, looked up, hard as diamond. "He told me once that he understood why I was afraid on the trip home, because he faces a monster with skill and weapons and magic and he is still scared spitless. I took it as a high compliment that he would tell me so. He is telling you so now. "

"When Link is here in this castle, he is a boy," she continued. "When he is giving Ian a sweet and playing the ocarina so that Anna can dance, he is a boy. When he is asking you awkward questions that make him turn red and stammer, he is a boy. When he talks to me whining that he feels restricted, he is a boy. " She paused. "But when this kind of danger threatens Hyrule, he is the Hero of Time and the Hylian knight who was appointed to this task. He is the only one who can do this. There is no one else. If there was, Link would be with you in your home tonight. If another hero were to appear at any time in this race, Link would have given him the Sword of Strength and come back to you gladly. If there was anyone else, I would not have to send one of the few true friends I have to fight this monster. Your grace, whenever a being picks up a sword to fight, he knows he may lose his life. In every confrontation Link has made, he could have lost his life. Yet if Link does not succeed in this last test, Hyrule will fall, and those who survive will face a darker world than Link saw when he fought Ganandorf in the dark times we erased." He turned away. "Can you understand? "

"Yes," he said numbly. "When will this happen?"

"Soon. I received a message from Link today. He is on his way to the final battle now."

"Where?"

"One of the entrances is the cavern where he fought the witch. " They both knew the duke could not go in the cavern now.

"Then I will wait for him there." The Duke turned to go. Outside the clouds began to gather.

_Link speaks_

I paused outside the cavern, and gathered myself. It was raining, and the earth was trembling. Lightning crackled and the wind was blowing cold through my bones. Just inside, I started to unload myself. The bard had been specific. "I have been to Termina," he said. "Here." He gave me the Fierce Deity mask. I stared at it. "How... Who is this priest?"

"You would not know him, but he has the mask you have fought before. You know the one. He came here because the giants cannot stop him here, but he did not know Hyrule was different. He aroused the dark god, who enslaved him and is maddened by him." He paused and looked old and tired. We were at Sir Grumbley's home. I had followed the harp music to the garden. "Listen well, Link the Hylian knight. You must go to the portal on your aunt's lands. Walk in with only your sword, this mask, and your ocarina. There is one who will help you, who will not be there but will see and speak to you. When you have defeated the mad priest, take off the mask, and put the sword in its place. Then do as you are told. You may not be told in words. I cannot tell you more." He sighed. "I would do this for you, if I could."

So I gathered my sword, my ocarina, my courage, and the mask, and I entered the cavern. There were no other monsters here. When I reached the cavern, I found the Mask in all its fury waiting, and put on mine .It did not take long. I took off the mask. It broke, falling into scraps on the ground.

I was in the Temple of Earth, and I took the sword to its column. There was one column left. Obeying the whisper of thought that came to me, I walked over to it. As I went, the darkness rose on one side, and the Goddess rose on the other. I began to play. As I played, I became the last column. I played the Song of Healing and the darkness could not touch me. Light reached from the columns and wrapped around the Goddess.

But while I played, the darkness reached inside me, searching for pain. It forced up memories of the scrying, when my mother cried, leaving her family; it showed me my mother dying, pleading with the Deku Tree as I wailed, an infant, beside her. It reminded me of the Kokeri who would torment me, the boy without a fairy; it brought out the memories of long nights shivering and alone, on a quest that could easily kill me; it showed me the times I was taunted by Ganandorf, and the Skull Kid, and the witches of Holodrum and Labrynna. It brought up my grandmother, taunting and then showed her dead.

But the help I was promised arrived, as Zelda appeared in the Crystal of Healing and called up other memories: Saria, playing with an infant; Malon, thanking me for helping her; King Darunia speaking for me; Ian and Anna, trying to make me feel better; Zelda, clinging to my hand as I led her into what she saw as safety; my uncle, telling me to go even when it might mean his life, feeding me from a red bottle; my aunt, telling me that her mother was mad and it was not my fault. And the help the Goddess needed arrived in the forms of her daughters, joining and forcing the dark lord back into his own realm again.

I stopped. He was gone. The light faded, and became dim. The goddesses stood around their mother, who reached out and laid her hand on my chest.

"_I give you peace**," **_she said_. **"**Link, Hero of Time, Knight of Hyrule, I give you peace in the time you have left to you. I cannot free you from pain, but there is time for you to do what you must, and then you will come to me. Know you will do one last task. Then you will come to me and know you will be welcome. Know peace."_

I was at the opening of the cavern. The sun was shining, and the earth was still. My uncle was waiting. He came over to me, as I leaned against the wall, worn with all I had endured. He only held out his arms, and hugged me and my entire body shook with sobs. I do not know what they were from, but for an endless time he held me and let them come. Finally they stopped, and I felt empty and tired and full of the relief of knowing it was over. "Come," he said gently, "Let's go home."


End file.
